"E kōkua iā Kaʻiulani ma ka hoʻomaʻemaʻe puka aniani."

Translation: Help Kaʻiulani clean windows.

[kelii....]

"E kōkua iā Ka'iulani e ho'oma'ema'e puka aniani."
Hiki anei?

[einewhall]

Why not "na puka aniani"?

[kelii....]

windows = nā puka aniani

clean the windows - ho‘oma‘ema‘e i nā puka aniani

OR

clean the windows - ho‘oma‘ema‘e puka aniani (literally "clean windows" where windows is used as an adverb to modify the verb directly)

[Maile951666]

How do you know if it is "windows" and not window?

[kelii....]

In the answer in Hawaiian, it is technically ambiguous.

[Jim273258]

Ka vs na ??? Windows. Any advice

[kelii....]

windows = nā puka aniani

clean the windows - ho‘oma‘ema‘e i nā puka aniani

OR

clean the windows - ho‘oma‘ema‘e puka aniani (literally "clean windows" where windows is used as an adverb to modify the verb directly)

[Mariela85057]

How can we know is plural ?

[kelii....]

It is assumed, and it is ambiguous.

[scarvbarv]

Why iā instead of i?

[kelii....]

iā is used before names and pronouns, though iā + au = ia‘u.

[Ctxkh1Me]

Why is ma used here? I thought ma was used to indicate location - does it have another usage, or is the task somehow being treated like a location? I'm completely confused by this ...ma ka... construction.