When: i ka wā

Level 3

I ka wā starts a clause that means “when”.

How It Works

The clause after wā is the same kind of clause as ka wā e hoʻomaka ai ka pāʻina “the time when the party starts” in the Reference Grammar. It has e before the verb and ai after it. English Wikipedia sets e V ai beside i V ai, which is for something already done. Hawaiian Wikipedia writers use i ka wā e ... ai for “when”.

PhraseMeaning
i ka wā e hiamoe ai nā keikiwhen the children sleep
i kēia wānow, at this time
ma ia wāat that time

Both i kēia wā and ma ia wā are in the Reference Grammar. The clause with e ... ai fits a time that is ongoing, repeated or still to come.

Examples (4)

  1. I ka wā e kuke ai koʻu makuahine, ke kōkua nei au.

    When my mother cooks, I help.

    The clause has e before the verb and ai after it.

  2. Ke hana nei au i ka wā e hiamoe ai nā keiki.

    I work when the children sleep.

    The clause can come second.

  3. I kēia wā, ke noho nei au ma Hilo.

    These days, I live in Hilo.

    I kēia wā means now.

  4. Ma ia wā, ua noho ʻo ia ma Maui.

    At that time, he or she lived on Maui.

    Here ma ia wā points to the past, because of ua.

How It Connects

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When: i ka wāLevel 3

Learn This First

I ka wā means “when” and introduces a time clause.

Words in This Pattern

wākaie