Or: a i ʻole

Level 3

A i ʻole joins two choices: “or”.

How It Works

The Reference Grammar shows a i ʻole in a question about two shirts: Ua makemake anei ʻoe i kēlā pālule a i ʻole i kēia? “Do you want that shirt or this one?” In a list of more than two, a i ʻole usually comes once, between the last two.

SentenceMeaning
E hele ana ʻoe i Hilo a i ʻole i Maui?Are you going to Hilo or Maui?
E kuke ana au i ka iʻa a i ʻole i ka moa.I will cook fish or chicken.

Notice the i before each place and food. It goes with the verb, so it is said again after a i ʻole. The three words are three separate words in print.

Examples (4)

  1. Makemake ʻoe i ka poi a i ʻole i ka laiki?

    Do you want poi or rice?

    I is repeated before the second choice.

  2. E hele ana ʻoe i Hilo a i ʻole i Maui?

    Are you going to Hilo or Maui?

    A i ʻole sits between the two places.

  3. E kuke ana au i ka iʻa a i ʻole i ka moa.

    I will cook fish or chicken.

    The same pattern with food.

  4. Makemake ʻo Kala i ke kope a i ʻole i ka waiū.

    Kala wants coffee or milk.

    It works the same way in a statement.

How It Connects

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

Or: a i ʻoleLevel 3

Learn This First

A i ʻole means “or” and joins two choices, as a me joins two nouns.

Words in This Pattern

a i ʻole