"He kumu koʻu ʻanakala."

Translation: My uncle is a teacher.

[Pampelius]

So how would you say "The teacher is my uncle"?

[MOCHI22006]

That's exactly what i thought!!!!

[HklaniClee]

ʻO koʻu ʻanakala ke kumu.

[hectorlqr]

Was there ever a native word for uncle?

[jdmcowan]

I think originally makua referred to all the family members of the generation above the child, so parents, aunts, uncles, first cousins once removed, etc.

[tnAu8]

Yeah, there arenʻt separate words for father/uncle/cousin of my father. Relationships were generational.

But then you could differentiate an uncle or from your father by modifying it:

Makua kāne ʻōpio - Uncle younger than my parent
Makua kāne mākua - Uncle older than my parent

[Lyphgerd]

How would you say "my uncle is my teacher?

[jdmcowan]

I haven't encountered a sentence like that in my studies so far, but I would guess, 'O ko'u kumu ko'u 'anakala.

[HklaniClee]

ʻO koʻu ʻanakala kaʻu kumu. (A little closer to the intent of the English sentence, and kumu is usually considered A-class.)

[HklaniClee]

BTW, jdmcowan, you've been doing a great job in your replies. Mahalo!

[Lyphgerd]

now how would you say "my uncle is the teacher"