e kūpaʻa
The Hawaiian phrase for stay strong is e kūpaʻa.
e kūpaʻa is used to encourage someone to remain steadfast or unwavering in the face of difficulty.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the particle e used for commands and the verb kūpaʻa which means to stand firm or be steadfast.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle e at the beginning of the phrase marks it as an imperative or a command.
Did you know?
- Using e kūpaʻa invokes a sense of ancestral stability, as the word relates to the way one roots oneself to the land, or 'ʻāina'.
- Depending on the context, describing someone as kūpaʻa can be a double-edged sword, serving as a compliment for reliability or a criticism for being stubborn.
- The ʻokina in kūpaʻa is not just a punctuation mark, but a full consonant that requires a distinct glottal stop in the middle of the word.
Examples in context
- E kūpaʻa i ka manaʻo.Stay strong in your beliefs.
- E kūpaʻa i kēia manawa.Stay strong during this time.
- E kūpaʻa i ka hana.Stay strong in the work.
Example conversation
Kai is comforting Leilani during a difficult day.
- KaiUa hōʻino loa kēia lā.Today has been very difficult.
- LeilaniʻAe, he mea paʻakikī kēia.Yes, this is a challenging thing.
- KaiE kūpaʻa, Leilani.Stay strong, Leilani.
- LeilaniMahalo, Kai.Thank you, Kai.
