Including or Not Including You

Level 1

Hawaiian has two words for “we”. One includes the person you are talking to, and one leaves them out.

How It Works

English “we” can include the listener or leave them out, and the listener has to guess. Hawaiian says it with the pronoun.

GroupIncludes youLeaves you out
two peoplekāuamāua
three or morekākoumākou

A teacher who says E heluhelu kākou asks the class to read too. A teacher who says Ke hana nei mākou ma ke kula talks about the staff, and the class is not part of it.

Examples (5)

  1. E ʻai kākou!

    Let us eat! (you too)

    Kākou includes the person you invite.

  2. Ke ʻai nei mākou.

    We are eating. (not you)

    Mākou leaves the listener out.

  3. E inu kāua i ke kope.

    Let us two drink coffee. (you and I)

    Kāua is the two-person version of we, with you in it.

  4. Ke inu nei māua i ke kope.

    The two of us are drinking coffee. (not you)

    Māua is the two-person version without you.

  5. E heluhelu kākou.

    Let us read. (class and teacher)

    A teacher who joins the class uses kākou.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Including or Not Including YouLevel 1

Learn This First

Choosing between two words for “we” depends on knowing the whole plural set.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

kākoumākoukāuamāua