The Object Marker iā

Level 2

A name or a pronoun takes iā where a common noun takes i.

How It Works

Iā does the job of i for people who are named. Compare the two:

ObjectMarkerExample
common nouniʻIke au i ke kumu.
nameiāʻIke au iā Keoni.
pronouniā or a fused formʻIke au iā ia.

The Reference Grammar says iā goes before pronouns and proper nouns. It also gives Kelepona ʻo Kimo iā ia for “Kimo telephones her”. After iā a name does not take ʻo, because ʻo marks a name as a subject.

The pronoun au joins with i to make iaʻu. That form is in the next row.

Examples (5)

  1. ʻIke au iā Leilani.

    I see Leilani.

    Iā comes before the name.

  2. Ua kelepona au iā Kāwika.

    I called Kāwika.

    Kelepona is the verb, and iā marks the person called.

  3. Ke kōkua nei ʻo Noelani iā Kala.

    Noelani is helping Kala.

    ʻO marks Noelani as the doer, and iā marks Kala.

  4. Ke nānā nei ʻo Noelani iā Keoni.

    Noelani is looking at Keoni.

    Nānā is the verb, and iā comes before the name.

  5. Ua ʻike ke kumu iā Kalani ma ke kula.

    The teacher saw Kalani at school.

    The doer follows the verb, and iā marks Kalani.

How It Connects

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

The Object Marker iāLevel 2

Learn This First

Iā is the form of i used before a name.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

iāi