Saying When: i

Level 2

Put i before a time phrase to say when. Some time words, like ʻapōpō, need no i.

How It Works

The same little word i that marks an object and a place also marks a time. It comes right before the time phrase, and the phrase can end the sentence.

Time phraseExample
i nehineiUa hele au i ke kula i nehinei.
i kēia ahiahiE hele ana au i ka hale kūʻai i kēia ahiahi.
i ka PōʻalimaE hālāwai kākou i ka Pōʻalima.
ʻapōpōE hoʻi mai ana ke kumu ʻapōpō.

The Reference Grammar says nehinei (yesterday) is generally used with a preceding i, and gives I nehinei nō, ua ʻike au iā ia i ke kula. It also writes i ka lā ʻapōpō for tomorrow, and a shorter ʻapōpō by itself is also used.

Examples (5)

  1. Ua hele au i ke kula i nehinei.

    I went to school yesterday.

    I comes before nehinei.

  2. E hele ana au i ka hale kūʻai i kēia ahiahi.

    I am going to the store this evening.

    I kēia ahiahi gives the time.

  3. E hālāwai kākou i ka Pōʻalima.

    Let us meet on Friday.

    I ka marks a day.

  4. E hoʻi mai ana ke kumu ʻapōpō.

    The teacher will come back tomorrow.

    ʻApōpō can stand with no i.

  5. Ua hiamoe ke keiki i ka pō.

    The child slept at night.

    I ka pō says when.

How It Connects

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

Saying When: iLevel 2

Learn This First

I before a time says when something happens, and it is the same small word as the place marker.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

i