ōku hoa
/ˈoːku ˈhoa/word by word
The Maori phrase for "my friends" is ōku hoa.
ōku hoa is used when referring to multiple people who are friends of the speaker.
What does it mean word for word?
ōku is the possessive form of "my" used when the objects or people being possessed are plural, and hoa means "friend".
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "my friend" in the singular, you should use taku hoa instead of ōku hoa.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈoːku ˈhoa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use ōku hoa if you are talking about only one friend. Use taku hoa for a single friend instead.
Did you know?
- In Māori culture, the concept of a 'friend' is often inextricably linked to the concept of 'whānau', or extended family, making the social boundaries of ōku hoa much wider than in English.
- The root of hoa suggests a historical connection to navigating or carving out ways, perhaps implying that friends are those who help you navigate life's paths.
- Because hoa can mean 'partner', using ōku hoa in certain romantic contexts could be misinterpreted as 'my partners' rather than just 'my friends'.
Examples in context
- Ko ōku hoa ēnei.These are my friends.
- Kei te haere ōku hoa.My friends are going.
Example conversation
Kahu and Manaia are talking about a party.
- KahuKa tae mai ōku hoa i tēnei pō.My friends are arriving tonight.
- ManaiaHe tokomaha aua hoa?Are those friends many?
- KahuĀe, e toru ōku hoa e haere mai ana.Yes, three of my friends are coming.
- ManaiaKa pai, ka tūpono mātou ki a rātou.That is good, we will meet them.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ōku, hoa) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hoa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
