Click on the “Play” button to hear these common Hawaiian words as spoken by a native Hawaiian language expert.
| 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 |
Great web site! I need all the help I can get learning the proper pronunciations of your beautiful Hawaiian language. Mahalo!