Asking Why: no ke aha
No ke aha asks “why”.
How It Works
The question word aha means “what”. No ke aha is “for what”, so “why”. The Reference Grammar has No ke aha ʻo ia i haʻalele ai i ka papa? “Why did he leave class?”, where the verb has i before it and ai after it because it already happened. For now or later the verb takes e instead.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| No ke aha ʻoe e kuke ai? | No ka mea pōloli koʻu ʻohana. |
| No ke aha ʻo Leilani i hele ai i Maui? | No ka mea noho ʻo ia ma Maui. |
A short question can stand alone: No ke aha? “Why?”
Examples (4)
- No ke aha ʻoe e hele ai i ke kula?
Why are you going to school?
The verb has e before it and ai after it.
- No ke aha nā keiki e noho ai ma waho?
Why are the children staying outside?
Nā keiki are the people in the question.
- No ke aha ʻo Leilani i hele ai i Maui?
Why did Leilani go to Maui?
For something already done, the verb has i before it and ai after it.
- No ke aha?
Why?
The question can stand alone.
How It Connects
Learn This First
No ke aha asks why and is built from no and the question word aha.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice Asking Why: no ke aha in Bubblegum
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