Words Built on mea

Level 3

Mea plus a verb names the thing or person that does that action.

How It Works

  • mea ʻai “food” (a thing to eat)
  • mea inu “drink” (a thing to drink)
  • mea kākau “writer” (a person who writes)
  • mea hana keaka “actor” (a person who makes drama)

The compound takes an article like any noun: ka mea ʻai, he mea kākau, nā mea inu “the drinks”. Hawaiian Wikipedia writers use mea kākau for a writer and mea hana with a noun, as in mea hana noʻeau for an artist. Some of these compounds have more than one meaning, so check a new one before you use it for something unusual.

Examples (4)

  1. Ke kuke nei au i ka mea ʻai.

    I am cooking the food.

    Mea ʻai is a thing to eat.

  2. Makemake ʻo Kala i ka mea inu.

    Kala wants the drink.

    Mea inu is a thing to drink.

  3. He mea hana keaka koʻu hoaloha.

    My friend is an actor.

    Mea hana keaka is a person who makes drama.

  4. He mea kākau ʻo Keoni.

    Keoni is a writer.

    Mea kākau is a person who writes.

How It Connects

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

Words Built on meaLevel 3

Learn This First

Mea can join with a verb to name a person by what they do.

Words in This Pattern

mea