To Have (E iai)

The phrase E iai in Samoan is a way to talk about having something or something existing. It is commonly used when asking if someone has something or when talking about what someone owns. Let’s break this down into simple steps.

Basic Structure: Tense-Action-Possessive Pronoun-Subject

The simplest way to use E iai is to follow this pattern:

1. Tense marker – Shows when the action happens (e.g., E for present or habitual tense).
2. Action – The word iai means “to exist” or “to have.”
3. Possessive Pronoun – Words like lau (your), lo’u (my), or lana (his/her) tell us who owns the item.
4. Subject – The thing being owned (e.g., tupe for “money,” fale for “house”).

Example:

• E iai lau tupe? – Do you have money?
  • E (tense marker: present/future)
  • iai (action: exist/have)
  • lau (possessive pronoun: your)
  • tupe (subject: money).

This sentence asks if you have money.

When There Are Multiple Subjects: Tense-Action-Subject-Possessive Pronoun-Subject

Sometimes, we need to include who else is involved. In these cases, we add a subject pronoun before the possessive pronoun. The sentence then looks like this:

1. Tense marker – Shows when the action happens.
2. Action – iai stays the same.
3. Subject Pronoun – Words like e (you), ia (he/she), or tatou (we) to show who else is involved.
4. Possessive Pronoun – Shows ownership.
5. Subject – The thing being owned.

Example:

• E iai e o ia lau tupe? – Do you and she/he have money?
  • E (tense marker: present/future)
  • iai (action: exist/have)
  • e (subject pronoun: you)
  • o ia (subject pronoun: she/he)
  • lau (possessive pronoun: your)
  • tupe (subject: money).

This sentence asks if you and she/he have money.

Common Possessive Pronouns

Here’s a list of possessive pronouns you can use with E iai:

• Lo’u / La’u – My (for “of” or “belonging to”).
• Lou / Lau – Your (for “of” or “belonging to”).
• Lona / Lana – His/Her.
• Lo tatou / La tatou – Our (inclusive).
• Lo matou / La matou – Our (exclusive).
• Lo latou / La latou – Their.

Examples for Practice

1. E iai lau peni? – Do you have a pen?
2. Ua iai lo’u fale. – I have a house.
3. E leai se latou tupe. – They don’t have money.
4. O lo’o iai lana maile? – Does he/she have a dog?
5. E iai le tatou fa’afitauli? – Do we have a problem?

With Multiple Subjects:

6. E iai ou te ma le tamaitiiti lau fa’afitauli? – Do you and the child have your problem?
7. O lo’o iai ia ma latou le mea’ai? – Do he/she and they have the food?

Key Points to Remember

1. E iai sentences always focus on what someone has or what exists.
2. The possessive pronoun tells us who the owner is.
3. When there are multiple people involved, a subject pronoun (like e, ia, latou) is added before the possessive pronoun.

Practice Time

Try creating your own sentences using these patterns:

1. E iai lau ______? – Do you have ______?
2. O lo’o iai lana ______. – He/she has ______.
3. Ua iai tatou ______? – Do we (inclusive) have ______?