Rules and examples
From UniLang Wiki
It's not always easy to guess whether a noun is 'e-class or ho-class. However for most nouns this can be understood by some general rules. Thus,
'e-class nouns are those denoting:
1. any kind of activity done by the speaker (for example all verbs)
2. speech, language, words etc
3. food and drink
4. people who are under the speaker's command, influence, supervision, care etc
5. thoughts, emotions, spiritual activity etc
6. animals
7. instruments and utils
Exceptions: kofi, inu, ti, koko, toki, tao, huo
ho-class nouns are those denoting:
1. body parts
2. buildings, houses, furniture, rooms etc
4. any kind of activity done to the speaker (verbs)
5. relatives, and any kind of people associated with the speaker (friends, enemies etc)
6. trees and plants
7. clothes
8. time (hour, minutes, eras, periods etc)
9. ships, boats and their parts
10. anything pertaining to the landscape (land, villages, cities, fields etc)
11. numbers
12. persons and things that affect, control, order, govern, characterize or surround me
13. things that happen to me, or fall to my lot (responsibilities, duties, fate, processes, facts etc)
Exceptions: fa'e, tamai, tamasi'i, ta'ahine, pepe, tama, tangata (when it means son), fefine (when it means daughter), fanau, kui, motu'a, ngoue, ma'ala
