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You won't have to speak Hawaiian when you visit Hawaii, but it is fun to know some words and terms, as well as to be able to read some place names and street signs while you're there. To make reservations for your trip, ask our Hawaii Specialist! How to Pronounce the Hawaiian Language How to Pronounce the Hawaiian
Language Pronunciations are easier, knowing: a = ah; e = ay; i = ee; o = oh; u is oo (as in too) |
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| a'a - Rocky lava. | a'ina - The land, earth. |
| 'ahi (Thunnus albaecares) - Yellow-fin tuna. | akamai - Smart, clever. |
| ali'i - Ancient Hawaiian royalty. | aloha - Hello and Good-bye. Things Hawaiian, such as spirit of Aloha or simply Aloha. |
| Diamond Head - Volcanic crater at the end of Waikiki. A directional word for easterly direction. | ewa - A directional word for westerly direction (Opposite of Diamond Head). |
| haku - To compose, weave or arrange, as a lei worn on the head. | hala (Pandanus odoratissimus) -The pandanus tree, whose leaves are plaited into mats, baskets and hats. |
| halau - Long house for hula instruction. Often refers to a hula troupe. | hale - House, building or hall. |
| hana hou - Encore. | Hau'oli Makaihiki Hou - Happy New Year. |
| haupia - Coconut pudding. | Hawaii - The name 'Hawaii' has various explanations: said to have been named by Hawaii Loa, traditional discoverer of the islands, after himself; or 'Hawaii' or 'Hawaiki', the traditional home of the Polynesians, a compound word - ii or iki, meaning little or small - thus, a smaller or new homeland; also means 'raging' or 'furious', the name is sometimes explained as referring to the volcanoes. (Often written with the glottal-stop mark, Hawai'i.) |
| heiau - Ancient Hawaiian place of worship. | hinahina (Heliotropium anomalum) - Native heliotrope, a beach plant with narrow, clustered, silvery leaves and small white fragrant flowers. Official flower of Kaho'olawe. |
| hibiscus - Official flower of the state. | holoku - A loose, seamed dress with a train and usually a yoke. |
| Honolulu - Capital city of Hawaii. Sheltered harbor or fair haven. | ho'olaule'a - Celebration, large party. |
| hukilau - Fishing festival feast. | hula 'auwana - Informal hula without ceremony or offering. |
| hula kaliko - Ancient form of hula. | humuhumunukunukuapua'a (Rhinecantbus aculeatus, R. rectangulus) - Varieties of triggerfish characterized by a pig'-like snout. |
| 'ie'ie (Freycinetia arborea) - A woody, climbing plant that grows in the mountains. One of five plants placed on the hula altar. | 'ilima (Sida fallax) - Small to large native shrubs bearing yellow, orange, greenish or dull-red flowers, some used for leis. Official flower of O'ahu. |
| imu - Earth oven. | ipu heke - Gourd drum with a top section. |
| kahili - a feather standard representing royalty. | kahuna - Priest, minister, expert in any field. |
| kama'aina - Native-born, or longtime Island resident. | kane - Man. |
| kapa - Cloth made from the bark of the wauke tree. | kapu - Taboo, forbidden. |
| kauna'oa (Cuscuta sandwichiana) - A native flower belonging to the morning-glory family. A leafless vine with numerous slender, orange stems, often used for orange leis to represent Lana'i. | keiki - Child, offspring. |
| ki (Cordyline terminalis) - A slender-stemmed, narrow- leafed green plant used by the ancient Hawaiians for food and many other purposes. | kiawe (Prosopis pallida) - Algaroba tree. |
| ki'i - Image, statue, idol. | koa (Acacia koa) - The largest of native forest trees, valued for its fine wood. |
| kokua - Help, cooperation. | Koloa (Anas wyvilliana) - Hawaiian duck native to all Islands, but now considered endangered. |
| kukui (Aleurites moluccana) - Official tree of the state. Candlenut tree, bearing nuts containing white oily kernels. | kumu - - - Teacher. |
| kupuna - Grandparent. | lanai Porch or balcony. |
| lau hala (Pandanaceae) -Pandanus leaf, used in plaiting. | lehua Flower of the ohi'a tree. The red lehua is the official flower of the island of Hawai'i. |
| lei - Flower garland worn around the neck. The common, small red rose which has been substituted for the pink rose as the official flower of Maui. | loke lani - The common, small red rose which has been substituted for the pink rose as the official flower of Maui. |
| lu'au - Feast. | mahalo - Thank-you. |
| maile (Alyxia olivaeformis) - Native twining shrub with fragrant leaves. | makahiki - Annual celebration with sports and religious festivities. |
| makai - A directional word meaning 'toward the sea'. | malama aina - To preserve and care for the land. |
| malihini - Newcomer, visitor. | malo - Loincloth. |
| mana - Spiritual power. | mauka - A directional word meaning 'toward the mountains. |
| muumuu - Loose, Mother Hubbard dress. | mele - A song, chant or poem. |
| Mele Kalikimaka - Merry Christmas. | Menehune - Legendary race of small people believed to have worked during the night building roads, fish ponds and temples. |
| mokihana (Pelea anisata) - Native tree found only on Kaua'i, bearing small, leathery, cube-shaped fruit often strung in leis. Official flower of Kaua'i. | mo'o - Lizard, dragon, serpent, water spirit, reptile of any kind. (There are no snakes in Hawaii.) |
| nene Official bird of the state. A rare Hawaiian goose. | no ka'oi - The best. |
| 'ohana - - Family. | 'ohelo (Vaccinium reticulatum) - A Small, native shrub in the cranberry family with round, red or yellow berries, eaten raw or cooked for sauce. |
| 'ohi'a lehua (Metrosideros macropus) - Native Hawaiian tree with dark red hardwood, found predominantly on the island of Hawai'i. | olona (Touchardia latifolia) - Native shrub whose bark was used in making fishing nets and as a base for feathered capes. |
| 'ono' - Delicious, tasty, savory. | pahoehoe - Smooth lava. |
| pahu - Drum. | pali - Cliff, precipice. |
| paniolo - Cowboy. | pau - Finished. |
| pa'u - Skirt worn by women horseback riders. | pikake (Jasminum sambac) - A shrub with small, white, very fragrant flowers used for leis. |
| pili (Heteropogon contortus) - A grass formerly used for thatching houses in old Hawai'i. | pilikia - Trouble. |
| poi - Pounded taro. | puka - Hole. |
| punee - Couch. | pupu - General name for marine and land shells; White pupu shells represent the island of Ni'ihau. |
| tutu - Grandparent. | Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono - Motto of Hawaii is on the seal of the flag. Means 'the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness'. |
| uli'uli - A gourd rattle containing seeds and having colored feathers at the top, used for the hula. | 'ulu - (Artocarpus altilis) Breadfruit tree. |
| wahine - Woman. | wauke (Broussonetia paprifera) - Paper mulberry tree, used to make kapa. |
| wiki wiki - Hurry. | |
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20 Words to da Wise From a compilation by Rick Carrell published in "Hawaii" magazine. (Rick Carrell is the creator of Hawaii's "Best Spooky Tales",Vols. 1-6. His new book, Madam Pele: True Encounters with Hawaii's Fire Goddess is due this fall from Bess Press.) If you can pronounce Aiea, Keeaumoku and Anaehoomalu correctly, know hapa from hapai, then you are akamai, brah. No need to read da kine. But if you no can understand a word up there, mo' bettah you read da kine. "Da kine" is one of 20 words or phrases every Hawaii visitor should know. So are akamai and pau. When you go pau reading da kine, you will be akamai, li'dat. akamai (ah-kah-mi) noun - smart, clever, locally correct in thought, common sense as opposed to intelligence or school smarts. "Many are smart, but few are akamai." chance 'em (chans em) verb - take a chance, go for it, try, rally cry. Often heard in Las Vegas at 21 tables at the California Hotel and Aloha Stadium late in the fourth quarter when the University of Hawaii Warriors are behind, "Fourth and inches on the five, Coach June Jones says, 'Chance 'em.'" chicken skin (ch-kin sken) descriptive pidgin noun - goose bumps, a frisson, shiver of excitement. "Oh, dat spooky kine stuff gives me chicken skin." da kine (dah khin) pidgin slang - literally, "the kind." Or something perfectly understood but not exactly defined, a one-size-fits-all generic expression used when two or more people know what they are talking about but nobody can think of the right word. "Cannot explain, you know, da kine." hana hou (hah-nah ho) Hawaiian expression of joy - cry for more, local equivalent of encore, most often heard after Auntie Genoa Keawe sings on Thursdays at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort. haole/hapa (howl-e/hah-pah) noun/adjective - If you not kanaka (kah-nah-kah, Hawaiian), that's you, brah: a person with no breath. "Ha" is breath; "ole" is nothing. Haole is what early Hawaiians called the first European visitors who looked pale as death, or breathless. Hapa is Hawaiian for half, which shouldn't be confused with hapai (hah-pi), which is one-and-a-half, or pregnant, Hapa-haole is half white, or part dis and dat, li'dat. Haole may be considered derogatory if prefaced by an adjective like "stupid"or "dumb." holoholo (ho-lo-ho-lo) old Hawaiian verb -to go out for pleasure, on foot, in a car or boat, a stroll to check things out, emphasis on going out for fun. Not to be confused with similar-sounding halohalo (hah-lo-hah-lo), the classic Filipino desert that is made with ice cream and chopped fruit. howzit? (hows-it) a greeting - always a question, friendly contraction of "How is it?" The inquiry is directed at your state of mind at the time. The preferred response is "It's good, brah!" Or, maybe not so good if feeling junk (pidgin for poorly). kapu (kah-poo) old Hawaiian noun - taboo, off limits, no trespassing, keep out, forbidden, sacred. Often seen on signs in high-crime areas, danger spots, O Triple C (Oahu Community Correctional Center) and geothermal plants. kokua (ko-koo-ah) verb - help, as in assist ("Please kokua.") or contribute (kokua luau), a gentle reminder, "Your kokua is appreciated." laters (la-derz) noun - salutary remark, often substituted for goodbye, pidgin for "See you later," "Sayonara," "Adios," "After while, crocodile!" li'dat (li-daht) existential pidgin phrase - that's the way it is, like that. Agreement or confirmation that an idea, connect or statement is what it is. Is is, li'dat. Similar to English "uh-huh" and Japanese "honto des." malihini (mah-le-he-ne) old Hawaiian noun - nonderisive, opposite of kamaaina (kah-mah-ah'e-nah, resident). If first time come Hawaii, that's you, brah; a stranger, tourist, someone who wears socks and shoes instead of rubbah slippahs, and eats rice with fork, not chopsticks. You stay malihini until you use "use to be" landmarks as directional aids. mauka/makai (maoo-kah/mah-ki) nouns - two off our key directions on Oahu, although mauka and makai are used on all the islands. Mauka means inland, toward the mountain; makai means toward the ocean. Other directions on Oahu are Eva (eh-vah) and Diamond Head (dimohn hed) for the Ewa plain and Wikiki's famous crater. On Maui, the English work, Upcountry (uhp-kuhn-tre), same t'ing mauka, brah. mo'bettah (mobedda) pidgin, adjective - self-descriptive, excellent, outstanding, the best. Used for comparison of ideas, objects, places as in "Dis beach mo'bettah." Sometimes spelled "moah bettah." no ka oi (no kah oy) Hawaiian phrase - a sequence of words that serves as an appositive, can follow only nouns as in "Maui no ka oi" (Maui is the best), a superlative expression, bragging rights, the best, similar to mo'bettah. pau (pow) noun - all gone, no more, time's up. Used every Friday (when you go pau hana, finish work), when you finish eating. ("All pau."), when your car or other mechanical object breaks down (" Eh, dis buggah pau.") Not to be confused with make (mah-keh), which means dead, a permanent form of pau. shaka brah (shah-kah brah) pidgin phrase, contemporary - hang loose, a casual agreement that everything is cool. a shaka is a hand signal with thumb and pinkie extended; index, middle and ring fingers closed; then a brisk horizontal flip of the wrist. A public sign that everything is copacetic, no problem. "Life is good, brah," followed by shaka. Seen nightly on a local television station's news sign-off. to da max (too dah macks) pidgin - expression of boundless enthusiasm, no limit, to the moon, the maximum effort expended, give it your all, knock yourself out. Partial title of popular book. Pidgin to da Max (Bess Press, 1995 reprint). wikiwiki (we-ke-we-ke) old Hawaiian noun, sometime adjective - name of Honolulu International Airport shuttle bus, to go fast, move rapidly, hurry. Also, a concept missing on the islands of Molokai and Lanai. Not to be confused with hele (heh-leh), which means to go, or let's go, as in "Hele on." |
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