The K-E-A-O Rule

Level 1

Look at the first letter: k, e, a or o usually takes ke. Other letters take ka. A few words are exceptions.

How It Works

Learners call this the K-E-A-O rule, after the four letters. It describes most nouns:

Starts withArticleExample
k, e, a, okeke kumu, ke ala, ke ola
h, l, m, n, p, wka, usuallyka hale, ka lā, ka wahine
ʻokinaka, usuallyka ʻāina, ka ʻōlelo

Some words break the rule. These are the ones the sources name: ke pākaukau “the table”, ke pā “the plate or dish” (but ka pā is “the yard or fence”), ke ʻano “the kind”, ke ʻa “the lava rock” (ka ʻa is “the fire”), ke ʻala “the perfume” and ke ʻeke “the bag”, which sometimes takes ka. Words such as ke noi “the request” also take ke, and mele “song” takes either ka or ke. Learn them as you meet them.

Examples (5)

  1. ke kumu

    the teacher

    Kumu starts with k.

  2. ke ala

    the path

    Ala starts with a.

  3. ka wahine

    the woman

    Wahine starts with w, so ka is used.

  4. ka ʻōlelo

    the language

    Words that start with an ʻokina usually take ka.

  5. ke pākaukau

    the table

    An exception: it starts with p, but it takes ke.

Common Mistakes

  • Using ke before a word that starts with w.

    ke wahine
    ka wahine

    Words that start with w take ka.

How It Connects

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

The K-E-A-O RuleLevel 1

Learn This First

This rule only chooses between ka and ke, so those two articles come first.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

keka