Relative Clauses With e ... ai

Level 5

E ... ai in a relative clause names the place, time or reason of an action that is not finished or is general.

How It Works

Compare the two patterns side by side.

PatternExample
i ... ai finishedka hale i noho ai au the house where I lived
e ... ai not finished or generalka hale e noho ai au the house where I will live

With e ... ai the clause can also describe a habit: ka kahi e kūʻai ai nā kānaka i ka iʻa, “the place where people buy fish”.

If the clause describes a person who does something, the pattern changes. See ka mea i for the one who did it and use e ... ai for a place, a time or a reason.

Examples (4)

  1. ka hale e noho ai au

    the house where I will live

    E ... ai points forward.

  2. ka lā e hoʻi mai ai ʻo ia

    the day she will come back

    The clause tells when.

  3. ke kula e hele ai nā keiki

    the school where the children go

    E ... ai can describe a place of habit.

  4. ka kahi e kūʻai ai nā kānaka i ka iʻa

    the place where people buy fish

    The doer is plural.

How It Connects

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Relative Clauses With e ... aiLevel 5

Learn This First

E ... ai makes a relative clause about an action not yet finished.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

e