Nouns Ending in -na
The ending -na turns some verbs into nouns, such as noho and nohona.
How It Works
Hopena is built from hope plus -na, and the other pairs use the same ending. Pairs to learn:
| Verb | Noun |
|---|---|
| noho to live, sit | nohona way of living |
| ʻike to know, see | ʻikena knowing, a sight |
| hope behind, rear | hopena result, ending |
Compare this with ʻana. The ending -ʻana can follow almost any verb. The ending -na belongs to specific words, and a related meaning can drift. Do not try to build new -na nouns on your own. No readable grammar lists the pattern, so treat each pair as vocabulary.
When you meet a noun ending in -na, try taking off the ending to find a verb. If a related verb exists, the meaning is usually close, but check, because a few have moved away.
Examples (4)
- Maikaʻi ka nohona ma ke kula.
Life at the school is good.
Nohona is a noun made from noho.
- Ua nui ka ʻikena a ke kumu.
The teacher has a lot of knowledge.
ʻIkena is a noun made from ʻike.
- Ua maikaʻi ka hopena o ka hana.
The result of the work was good.
Hopena is a noun made from hope, behind.
- Ke noho nei au ma Hilo.
I live in Hilo.
The verb noho stays a verb when it has ke ... nei.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The ending -na makes a few nouns, and ʻana is the common one.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice Nouns Ending in -na in Bubblegum
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