mai: Come, Do Not and From
Mai can point toward the speaker, say “do not”, or mean “from”.
How It Works
| Where mai stands | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| After a verb | toward the speaker | Ua hele mai ke kumu. “The teacher came.” |
| Before a verb | do not | Mai ʻai i ka laiki. “Do not eat the rice.” |
| Before a place | from | Mai Oʻahu mai koʻu hoaloha. “My friend came from Oʻahu.” |
The Reference Grammar lists several senses of mai: the directional, the negative command, and the preposition “from”. It also contrasts Mai Kauaʻi mai au “I came from Kauaʻi” with No Kauaʻi au “I am from Kauaʻi”.
Because the same word does all three jobs, the position tells you which one you have. A learner who sees mai twice in one sentence, with a place between, is looking at “from”.
Examples (4)
- E hele mai!
Come here!
Mai after the verb points toward the speaker.
- Mai ʻai i ka laiki.
Do not eat the rice.
Mai before the verb means do not.
- Mai Oʻahu mai koʻu hoaloha.
My friend came from Oʻahu.
The place sits between two mai.
- Ua hele mai ke kumu i ka hale.
The teacher came to the house.
Mai tells the teacher came toward the speaker.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Mai means “come”, “do not” and “from”, so learners meet the first two jobs first.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice mai: Come, Do Not and From in Bubblegum
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