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Hawaiian language 101
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Here are some Hawaiian and pidgin words that you might hear around the islands.
Basics of the Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian alphabet contains 12 letters; seven consonants (H, K, L, M, N, P, and W) and five vowels (A, E, I, O, and U). Every vowel should be pronounced. Here is a pronunciation guide:
a like a in above
e like ay in play
i like ee in see
o like o in sole
u like oo in moon
What is pidgin?
Pidgin is actually a creole language - made up of all the different nationalities that lived and worked together on the sugar plantations. Today, it continues to evolve. Wikipedia has an impressive writeup on the subject.
Some common terms:
ahi (ah-hee) -- yellow-fin tuna
akamai (ah-kah-ma-ee) -- helpful or smart
Ala -- It's meanings include path, road, or trail as in Ke•ala•ke•kua (path of the gods) and Ala•wai (fresh water trail)
alii (ah-lee-ee) -- is a very common Hawaiian word and it means "chief" or "chiefess."
Aloha -- hello, goodbye, welcome, farewell, love
broke da mout' -- tastes delicious; translation for "broke the mouth"; As in "the food so good it broke da mout!"
bus'up -- "busted up" or broken or no good as in, "my back all bus'up!"
chance em -- take a chance
chang -- cheap; As in "dat guy ovah deah, he chang!" or "that guy over there is cheap!"
choke -- lots, full, plenty, maxed out; As in "get choke already!"
cruise -- rest, take it easy; As in "shoot, let's cruise!" or "okay, let's take it easy!"
da kine -- word used in place of another word that you can't seem to remember or perhaps never knew. As in "My wife she like da kine chocolate."
Diamond Head -- an inactive volcanic crater on Oahu, also used as a directional term, opposite of Ewa (anything East of Honolulu)
E Komo Mai (eh-koh-mo-mah-ee) -- welcome
E Malama Pono (eh-mah-la-mah poh-no) -- To take care
Ewa (eh-vah) -- directional term referring to anything West of Honolulu (or the EWa direction), as in "the 'Ewa bound lanes."
funny kine -- odd, abnormal, weird; translation for "kind of funny"
grinds -- food; As in "local kine grinds" or local hawaii food
ha -- breath, life, to breathe, exhale
hanahou (ha-na-ho) -- one more time
hala (ha-lah) -- the pandanus tree, leaves are plaited into mats, baskets and hats
Halakahiki (ha-lah-ka-hee-key)-- Pineapple
hale -- -(ha-leh) house or building, "E hele mai i ka hale" means "come over to the house!"
Haleakala (ha-leh-ah-kah-lah) -- Haleakalā is Māui's highest peak and one of the tallest mountains in Hawai'i. Haleakala means "house of the sun" and was home to the god Maui's grandmother
heiau (hey-ah-oo) -- ancient place of worship
haole (ha-oo-leh) -- a foreigner, often referring to a Caucasian
holoholo (ho-loh-ho-loh) -- to ride or walk around for fun, "E holoholo kākou." Lets go holoholo!
honu (ho-noo) -- turtle, Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle
honua (ho-noo-ah) -- land, earth, world
Ho'olaule'a (ho-o-lau-lay-ah) -- festival
Ikaika (ee-kah-ee-kah) -- Strong
ipo (ee-poh) -- sweetheart
junk -- no good, lousy; used as an adjective; As in "that was one junk movie!"
kama'Aina (kah-mah-ai-nuh) -- native born, acquainted, familiar.
Kanaka Maoli (kah-nah-kah mah-o-lee) -- full-blooded Hawaiian
kane (ka-neh) -- man (this is both plural and singular so it's never used as kanes)
kau kau (ka-oo ka-oo) -- to eat, food
keiki (kay-kee) -- child, youngster, offspring, or descendant; it can also refer to the offshoot of a plant
'key den -- translates into "okay then, i got it"
kokua (ko-koo-ah) -- help
komo (ko-mo)-- is a word you have probably heard before. Komo means "to enter" as in "E komo mai!"
Kona (ko-nah) -- is a word you hear often: Kona the place or as "Kona winds." Kona means "leeward" and Kona winds usually refer to southerly winds which bring hot, humid weather, and vog.
kukui (koo-koo-ee) -- candlenut tree, bearing nuts containing white oily kernels which were used for lighting by ancient Hawaiians
kupuna (koo-poo-nah) -- means "grandparent", also refers to elders or wise-ones
lanai (lah-nah-ee) -- means patio or porch or veranda
lua (lu-ah) -- bathroom
mahalo (mah-ha-lo) -- thank you
makai - a direction "towards the sea"
mahalo (mah-ha-lo) -- thank you
malihini (mah-lee-hee-nee) -- newcomer
mana (mah-nah)-- spiritual power
mauka (mah-oo-kah) -- a direction "towards the mountains"
mo' bettah -- better, improved, as in "your car is mo' bettah!"; translation: "more better" or "you have a better car"
moimoi (mo-ee-mo-ee) -- sleep, rest
ohana (oh-ha-nah)-- family okole -- (oh-ko-lay) -- buttocks as in "shake your okole" or hurry up!
olelo (oh-lay-low) -- word, language, statement, to speak; Ōlelo Hawaiyi means "Hawaiian language"
opakapaka (oh-pah-kah-pah-kah) -- Hawaiian pink snapper
opala (oh-pah-lah) -- rubbish, trash, or litter; "kini ōpala" is where ōpala belongs: in the trash can.
ono (oh-no) -- delicious, also a large mackeral-type fish
pau or pauhana (pow or pow-ha-nah) -- finished; pauhana is used to mean end of some event such as the workday
pilau (pee-la-oo) -- dirty, filthy as in "the table is pilau!"
poho (poh-ho) -- not worth it; As in "no sense pay extra-- poho!"
pupu (poo-poo) -- appetizer, hors d'oeuvre
pupule (poo-poo-leh) -- crazy, nuts
solid -- awesome
talk story -- to have a conversation; As in "let's talk story"
try come -- come near me as in "try come-- i need your help" or come near me because i need your help
Ukulele (oo-koo-lay-lay) -- means "jumping flea" and is the name of a uniquely Hawaiian instrument, developed here in Hawai'i
vog -- volcanic smog, when the winds blow from the south there is a hazy appearance in the atmosphere from the sulfur dioxide gas
wahine (wah-hee-neh) -- woman (this is both plural and singular so it's never used as wahines)
wikiwiki (wee-key-wee-key) -- fast, quick
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