Saying That Something Is Not

Level 2

ʻAʻole with he says “is not a kind of thing.” ʻAʻole with ʻo says “is not that person or thing.”

How It Works

Sentences with he and ʻo have no verb, and their negatives have none either. You just add ʻaʻole in front.

PositiveNegative
He kumu ʻo ia. She is a teacher.ʻAʻole he kumu ʻo ia. She is not a teacher.
ʻO Kalani ʻo Keola. Kalani is Keola.ʻAʻole ʻo Kalani ʻo Keola. Kalani is not Keola.

The Reference Grammar gives a second order for the class sentence: ʻAʻole ʻo Pualani he kumu, with the subject first. Both orders appear in teaching materials, so you can expect to see either one.

The same grammar notes that in conversation the second ʻo may be dropped in naming sentences. This negative has no i or e, because there is no verb to mark.

Examples (5)

  1. ʻAʻole he kumu ʻo ia.

    She is not a teacher.

    ʻAʻole he names a kind of person, and ʻo ia is the subject.

  2. ʻAʻole ʻo Keoni he kauka.

    Keoni is not a doctor.

    The subject comes first in this order.

  3. ʻAʻole ʻo Kalani ʻo Keola.

    Kalani is not Keola.

    Two names, each with ʻo.

  4. ʻAʻole he ʻīlio kēia.

    This is not a dog.

    Kēia is the subject.

  5. ʻAʻole he haumāna ʻo ia.

    He is not a student.

    The same pattern with a different noun.

How It Connects

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

Saying That Something Is NotLevel 2

Learn This First

A naming sentence is made negative with ʻaʻole.

Words in This Pattern

ʻaʻoleheʻo