10 Essential Hawaiian Words (so only your silly Hawaiian shirt gives you away as a tourist)
- thereseholland
- Apr 24, 2015
- 2 min read
Did you know there are two official languages of the state of Hawaii? Yep! Here you'll commonly find things in both English and Hawaiian. In fact, there is a cultural revolution nowadays on the islands, and many people (both Hawaiian and not) are bringing the language to life in every day use.
So, what better way to show your aloha for the islands than to use some Hawaiian words? Stick with me, and the only thing giving you away as a tourist or new resident will be your gross pale body!
Do you know how to say ocean in Hawaiian? Soon you will!
The absolute basics. Okay, these are non-negotiable. You need to know these if you plan to go to Hawaii. Once you know these, you can move on to more intermediate level Hawaiian.
But let's start with the basic 10.
1. Aloha (a-LOW-HA): hello, goodbye, love, kindness.
"Everywhere you go in Hawaii, you'll feel aloha all around you."
2. Mahalo (MA-HAL-LOW): thank you.
"Hey auntie, mahalo for that 'ono lunch."
3. Haole (How-lee): white person (literal meaning: person without breath/foreigner. I explain more about race in Hawaii here, but for the purposes of this post, understand that haole is descriptive, not derogatory.
"He's married to a Haole girl, right?"
Aloha Oahu!
4. 'Ohana (o-HA-NA): family.
"I have ohana on the mainland and in Hawaii."
5. Ukulele (OO-koo-lay-lay): small stringed instrument, similar to a guitar but much smaller.
"I love the classic sound of the ukulele."
PROTIP! Commonly mispronounced. Note that the word begins with "oo" not the sound "you". Saying "you-ka-lay-lay is a great way to show that you don't know what you're talking about.
5. Lei (LAY): necklace made most commonly made of flowers. Also can be made with shells, leaves, or kukui nuts. The lei is often used to welcome people to the islands, but can also be used as a farewell.
"After the death of my father, my auntie threw a lei in the ocean, to carry my father's spirit to the other side."
6. Lanai (lah-NIE) – patio, porch, veranda.
"Come out to the lanai and see the new outdoor chairs I got."
7. Wahine/Kane (wah-heen-nay)/(ka-nay): man/woman.
"Want to come watch the wahine surf competition? The kane one is next week."
(Since these are two words listed as one, to be clear: Wahine=woman/Kane=man)
8. Keiki (KAY-kee): child, kid, sometimes used for plural: children.
"Do you want to see the keiki menu?"
9. Kapu (KAH-poo): Forbidden, taboo, keep out, no trespassing, sacred.
"Let's turn around. The sign says this place is kapu."
10. 'Ono (oh-no): delicious.
"Hey auntie, mahalo for that 'ono lunch."
Hawaiian food is so 'ono.
So there you have it. These 10 words are in my opinion the most vital Hawaiian words to know before you visit and especially before you move to Hawaii.
Thirsty for more local phrases? Read more about language in Hawaii:
Have any words to add to this list of essential Hawaiian words to know? Did I help you learn something? Please leave a comment!
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