This document provides examples of negative and positive commands in Hawaiian. For negative commands, the word "mai" is used followed by a verb. Examples include "Mai hiamoe ma ka papahele" meaning "Don't sleep on the floor." For positive commands, the word "e" is used followed by a verb. Examples include "E ho'olohe oe ia'u" meaning "(You) Listen to me!" Mai and e can also be used for suggestions, with "kua" or "kou" translating to "let's."

1. KAUOHA
HAW 101

2. MAI: NEGATIVE COMMAND
(DON’T)
MAI verb ( OE/ OLUA/ OUKOU/K UA/K KOU)ʻ ʻ ʻ Ā Ā ʻawe
N La ana (Examples):ā ʻ
• Mai hiamoe ( oe) ma ka papahele!ʻ
Don’t (you) sleep on the floor!
• Mai lelo ( oukou) i ia!ʻō ʻ ā
Don’t (you guys) talk to her!
• Mai au au ma ! Lepo!ʻ ʻ ʻō
Don’t swim over there! It’s dirty!

3. E: POSITIVE COMMAND
E verb ( OE/ OLUA/ OUKOU/K UA/K KOU)ʻ ʻ ʻ Ā Ā aweʻ
N La ana (Examples):ā ʻ
• E ho olohe ( oe) ia u!ʻ ʻ ʻ
(You) Listen to me!
• E noho ( olua) i k ia p kaukau!ʻ ē ā
(You two) Sit at this table!
• E k kua ( oukou) i n k puna.ō ʻ ā ū
(You guys) Help the elders.

4. IMPORTANT NOTES
• Mai and e may also be used in making
suggestions. If the papani “k ua” or “k kou”ā ā
is used, it typically translates as “let’s.”
• E hele k kou!ā Let’s go!
• Mai hele k kou i k ia l .ā ē ā Let’s not go today!
• E n n (k kou) i ke k w !ā ā ā ī ī Let’s watch tv!