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!
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