ka
/ka/
In Hawaiian, the English definite article "the" is expressed by the forms ka, ke or nā.
Meaning: article (article)
Ways to say it
| Hawaiian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ka | /ka/ | |
| ke | /ke/ | singular |
| nā | /ˈnaː/ | plural |
Which one should you use?
Use nā for all plural nouns. For singular nouns, use ka before most consonants and vowels, but switch to ke if the following word begins with a k, e or an 'i' sound.
How does it change in a sentence?
While ka is the standard singular form, it becomes ke when the following word begins with the sounds k, e or i. For all plural nouns, use nā regardless of the starting sound of the following word.
How do you pronounce it?
/ka/
Did you know?
- The plural article nā originates from the Proto-Polynesian *ŋa, which is a distinct root from the singular articles, meaning the singular and plural 'the' actually come from two different ancient words.
- In traditional Hawaiian storytelling and chants, the choice of article can sometimes be altered to maintain a specific poetic rhythm, overriding the standard rules for ka and ke.
- Unlike English, which uses 'the' to point to a specific object, Hawaiian articles like ka can sometimes function as a way to categorize a noun's role in a sentence without implying it is a unique item.
Examples in context
- Melemele ka pua nui.The big flower is yellow.This sentence shows how to use ka to describe the color of a large flower.Tatoeba #4858579 by nonong, translation #10565508 by ToxicFriu
- Polū ka pua liʻiliʻi.The little flower is blue.This sentence shows how to use ka to describe the color of a small flower.Tatoeba #4856425 by nonong, translation #10161005 by ToxicFriu
- Poni ka pua liʻiliʻi.The little flower is purple.Tatoeba #4856427 by nonong, translation #10161006 by ToxicFriu
- Ke kulaThe school
- Ke haleThe house
- Ke puaThe flower
- Ka inoaThe name
- Ka ʻikeThe knowledge
- Ka ʻāinaThe land
- Nā kanakaThe people
- Nā kaikamāhineThe daughters
- Nā kumuThe teachers
- Nā haleThe houses
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Keanu and Malia are looking for a book.
- KeanuAia ka puke.The book is there.
- MaliaHe puke polū ka puke?Is the book blue?
- KeanuʻAe, polū ka puke.Yes, the book is blue.
- MaliaMahalo, Keanu.Thank you, Keanu.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “the” translations and entries ka, ke, nā, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ka, ke, nā, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
