If you plan to visit or live in Hawaii, you will need to know how to pronounce the following commonly used words and phrases.
Click on the “Play” button to listen to these common Hawaiian words as spoken by a native Hawaiian language scholar.
| Normal | Slower | Hawaiian Word | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| A hui hou | Until we meet again | ||
| A hui hou kākou | Until we meet again--said to a group | ||
| A‘ā | Sharp jagged lava rock | ||
| ‘A‘ole pilikia | You're welcome/No problem | ||
| ‘Ae | Yes | ||
| Ahupua‘a | Land division | ||
| ‘Āina | Land, especially Hawaiian ancestral lands | ||
| Akamai | Smart, Clever, Intelligent | ||
| Akua | God | ||
| Ala | Road, way, path | ||
| Alelo | Tongue, language. | ||
| Ali‘i | Chief, chiefess, or royalty | ||
| Aloha | Love, affection; greeting, salutation; Hello! Good-bye! | ||
| Aloha ‘auinalā | Good afternoon | ||
| Aloha ‘oe | Farewell to you | ||
| Aloha ahiahi | Good evening | ||
| Aloha ‘āina | Love of the land; to nurture and care for the land. | ||
| Aloha au ia ‘oe | I love you | ||
| Aloha kakahiaka | Good morning | ||
| Aloha nui loa | Very much love | ||
| ‘A‘ole pilikia | No problem, no trouble. | ||
| ‘Auana | Modern; Especially relating to hula. | ||
| ‘Aumakua | Ancestral spirit, family or personal gods | ||
| E Komo Mai | Welcome! Enter | ||
| Hālau | Long house, as for canoes or hula instruction; meeting house |
| Normal | Slower | Hawaiian Word | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hale | House, building | ||
| Hana | Work | ||
| Hana hou | Encore, do it again. | ||
| Hānai | Adopted, to raise, rear, feed | ||
| Haole | A foreigner; Pidgin slang - Caucasian | ||
| Hapa haole | Person of mixed racial ancestry | ||
| Hāpai | To carry, pregnant | ||
| Hau‘oli lā Hānau | Happy Birthday | ||
| Hau‘oli lā Ho‘omaha loa | Happy Retirement | ||
| Hau‘oli lā Ho‘omana‘o | Happy Anniversary | ||
| Hau‘oli | Happy, glad, joy | ||
| Hau‘oli Hanukaha | Happy Hanukkah | ||
| Hau‘oli Hanukaha me ka Makahiki Hou | Happy Hanukkah and New Year | ||
| Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou | Happy New Year | ||
| Hehena | Raving mad, possessed, lunatic | ||
| Heiau | Pre-Christian shrine or place of worship | ||
| Hele | Move, go, travel | ||
| Hiapo | First Born | ||
| Hina | To fall, topple over from an upright position | ||
| Hoaloha | Friend | ||
| Hō‘ike | Show, display | ||
| Hōkū | Star | ||
| Holoholo | Out on a lark, fishing, to wander | ||
| Honu | Turtle | ||
| Huhū | Angry |
| Normal | Slower | Hawaiian Word | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hula | The dance of Hawaii | ||
| Huli-huli | Rotisserie or 'end-over-end' as in chicken cooked this way. | ||
| Humuhumunukunukuapua'a | The State fish. A Triggerfish. | ||
| I'a | Fish | ||
| Imu | An underground oven you will see at a luau | ||
| Kahiko | Ancient hula dance | ||
| Kahu | Guardian, leader, minister | ||
| Kahuna | Expert. A priest, minister, or an expert at any profession | ||
| Kai | Sea, sea water; seaside | ||
| Kālā | Money | ||
| Kala mai ia‘u | Excuse me | ||
| Kalo | Taro | ||
| Kama‘āina | Commonly referred to a long-time resident of Hawai'i. | ||
| Kāne | A man or boy | ||
| Kanikapila | Musical jam session | ||
| Kapa | Cloth made from the bark of the wauke tree | ||
| Kapu | Sacred, taboo, forbidden, no trespassing | ||
| Keiki | Child, offspring, or children | ||
| Koa | Warrior | ||
| Kōkua | Help, aid, assistance, relief. | ||
| Kolohe | Rascal | ||
| Kuleana | Responsibility | ||
| Kulikuli | Be quiet! Shut up! | ||
| Kumu | Teacher | ||
| Kupuna | Grandparent, ancestor |
| Normal | Slower | Hawaiian Word | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ku‘uipo | Sweetheart | ||
| Laki | Lucky | ||
| Lanai | A porch, patio, or balcony | ||
| Lani | Sky, the heavens | ||
| Lau | Leaf | ||
| Laule‘a | Peaceful, happy | ||
| Laulima | Cooperation | ||
| Lehua | The flower of the ‘ohi‘a tree | ||
| Lei | A necklace of flowers, leaves, shells, feathers, given as a symbol of affection; | ||
| Leilani | Heavenly flower | ||
| Lo‘i | Taro patch | ||
| Lolo | Feeble minded, numb | ||
| Lū‘au | Literally means taro leaves, but used for a Hawaiian feast | ||
| Luna | Foreman, boss, supervisor | ||
| Mahalo | Thank You | ||
| Mahalo nui loa | Thank you very much | ||
| Maha‘oi | Insolent, rude, brazen | ||
| Mahina | Moon | ||
| Maika‘i | Excellent, goodness | ||
| Maika‘i no au | I am fine | ||
| Maka | Eye | ||
| Makai | Toward the ocean | ||
| Makana | Gift, present | ||
| Makua | Parent, any relative of the parent's generation | ||
| Mālama | To take care of, preserve, protect, maintain; |
| Normal | Slower | Hawaiian Word | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malihini | New comer, visitor | ||
| Mana‘o | Thought | ||
| Manapua | Chinese dim sum | ||
| Manini | Stingy | ||
| Manō | Shark | ||
| Manu | Bird | ||
| Manuahi | Free, gratis | ||
| Maoli | Native, indigenous, genuine. | ||
| Mau Loa | Forever | ||
| Mauka | Inland, upland, toward the mountains. | ||
| Mele | Chant or melodic song for hula dancing | ||
| Mele Kalikimaka | Merry Christmas | ||
| Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou | Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year | ||
| Menehune | Legendary race of small people believed to have worked during the night building roads, fish ponds and temples. | ||
| Moana | Ocean | ||
| Moku | Island | ||
| Mo‘o | Lizard | ||
| Mo‘opuna | Grandchild | ||
| Nalu | Wave, surf | ||
| Nani | Pretty | ||
| Nīele | Nosy, frivolously inquisitive | ||
| Niu | Coconut | ||
| Nui | Big, large, great, or important | ||
| ‘O ia mau nō | Same as usual | ||
| ‘Ohana | Family, relative, kin group; related. |
| Normal | Slower | Hawaiian Word | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Ōkole | Ass or butt (slang) | ||
| ‘Ōlelo | Language, speech, word, quotation, statement, utterance, term; to speak, say, state, talk, mention, quote, converse, tell; oral, verbatim, verbal. | ||
| ‘Oli | Chant | ||
| ‘Ono | Delicious or tasty, and also a large mackerel type of fish | ||
| ‘Ōpala | Garbage, trash | ||
| ‘Ōpū | Stomach, abdomen | ||
| Pāhoehoe | Smooth, ropey lava | ||
| Palahē | Flattened, crushed | ||
| Pali | Cliff, a steep hill or slope | ||
| Paniolo | Hawaiian cowboy | ||
| Pau | Finished, ended, all done | ||
| Pehea ‘oe? | How are you? | ||
| Pilau | Stinky, smelly | ||
| Pilikia | Troubles | ||
| Pōhaku | Stone, rock | ||
| Poi | A paste made from pounded taro root | ||
| Pakalolo | Marijuana | ||
| Pōmaika`i | Good fortune, blessing | ||
| Pū | Shell | ||
| Pua‘a | Pig | ||
| Pule | Prayer, incantation, blessing, grace; to pray, worship, ask a blessing. | ||
| Pūpū | Snacks or appetizers | ||
| Pupule | Crazy | ||
| Pu‘uwai | Heart | ||
| Tūtū | Grandfather, Grandmother | ||
| U‘i | Handsome, pretty, beautiful, youthful | ||
| ‘Uku | Louse, flea. Small, tiny | ||
| Wa‘a | Canoe | ||
| Wahine | Woman, lady | ||
| Wai | Water, usually fresh water | ||
| Waipahē | Good-natured | ||
| Wikiwiki | Fast or speedy |
