ia
/ˈi.a/
The Hawaiian word for the inanimate subject 'it' is ia.
ia is used as a pronoun to represent an inanimate thing acting as the subject of a sentence.
Meaning: subject, inanimate thing (pron)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ˈi.a/. The stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- While ia is the subject 'it', the word's meaning can shift entirely to 'fish' when used as a noun i‘a with a glottal stop.
- The pronoun ia originates from the ancient Proto-Austronesian root *(si-)ia, making it a linguistic relative of words found in languages as far away as Madagascar.
- In Hawaiian, ia is part of a system where pronouns change based on whether the person or object being discussed is present or absent from the conversation.
Examples in context
- Eia ia.Here it is.
- He mea maika'i ia.It is a good thing.
Example conversation
Kai and Kiana are looking at a new book.
- KaiHe puke hou kēia. Makemake anei oe?This is a new book. Do you want it?
- KianaʻAe, he nani ia!Yes, it is beautiful!
- KaiE nānā i ka pūʻulu o ia.Look at the cover of it.
- KianaHe mea kikoʻī ia.It is something special.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “it” translations and entries ia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
