COMMON HAWAIIAN WORDS AND PHRASES:

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

Common Hawaiian Words and Phrases