Relative Clauses With e ... ai
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.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| i ... ai finished | ka hale i noho ai au the house where I lived |
| e ... ai not finished or general | ka 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)
- ka hale e noho ai au
the house where I will live
E ... ai points forward.
- ka lā e hoʻi mai ai ʻo ia
the day she will come back
The clause tells when.
- ke kula e hele ai nā keiki
the school where the children go
E ... ai can describe a place of habit.
- ka kahi e kūʻai ai nā kānaka i ka iʻa
the place where people buy fish
The doer is plural.
How It Connects
Learn This First
E ... ai makes a relative clause about an action not yet finished.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.