makemake au iā ʻoe
The Hawaiian phrase for "I want you" is makemake au iā ʻoe.
This phrase is used to express a romantic or physical desire for another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of makemake (desire/want), au (I), iā (a particle used before a person as an object) and ʻoe (you).
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle iā is grammatically required before the pronoun ʻoe when you is the object of the verb makemake.
Did you know?
- While makemake au iā ʻoe expresses desire, a traditional way to show romantic interest in Hawaii often involves the gifting of a lei.
- In Hawaiian, the word for 'I' au is a homonym with another word meaning 'current' or 'flow'.
- The word makemake is formed through reduplication, which is the process of repeating a word or part of a word to change or intensify its meaning.
Example conversation
Malia and Ikaika are sharing a romantic moment on the beach.
- MaliaIkaika, makemake au iā ʻoe.Ikaika, I want you.
- IkaikaMakemake au iā ʻoe pū, Malia.I want you too, Malia.
- MaliaHe aha kāu e manaʻo ai?What do you think?
- IkaikaAloha wau iā ʻoe.I love you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries au, makemake, ʻoe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
