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The Hawaiian Language
English is the main language in the state of Hawaii but the Hawaiian language still exists today. Almost all the people in Hawaii speak English as well as a few words of Hawaiian. Most of the street names are Hawaiian such as Kalakaua Avenue. Some people who have Hawaiian blood have Hawaiian names as well. This page is basically a glossary of basic Hawaiian words for you people to learn. Even though most of the people in Hawaii speak English, some of them speak pidgin English. The way they speak may sound primitive to others (people from the mainland or other countries that speak standard English). I think pidgin English is a part of Hawaii's culture. Below the table of Hawaiian words is a table of pidgin English.
Words in green are super common words. Other words are used averagely.
|
Hawaiian Word |
Meaning |
| 'ahi | tuna fish (one of local favorite fishes to eat) |
| 'ai | yes |
| ali'i | royalty of Hawaii |
| aloha | hello, goodbye, love |
| auwe | alas, woe |
| hale | house |
| haole | Caucasian, foreigner |
| hula | Hawaiian dance, to dance |
| humuhumu-nukunuku- a-pua'a | Hawaii's state fish |
| kai | sea, ocean |
| kahuna | priest |
| kalua | to bake underground |
| kamaaina | old-timer, local |
| keiki | child |
| kokua | assistance, help, cooperate |
| lanai | porch |
| laulau | combination of pork, chicken, and/or fish wrapped in leaves and steamed |
| lei | necklace made of flowers |
| luau | feast |
| mahalo | thank you |
| mahimahi | dolphin fish (another local favorite fish to eat) |
| makai | towards the ocean (used in giving directions) |
| mele kalikimaka | Merry Christmas |
| muumuu | loose Hawaiian dress |
| ohana | family |
| okole | butt |
| ono | delicious |
| pali | cliff |
| pau | done, finished |
| piko | umbilical cord |
| poi | pounded taro |
| puka | hole |
| wahine | female, woman, girl |
| wai | water |
| wikiwiki | quickly |
Here is the table of Pidgin English used in Hawaii. Try to learn some of them before coming to Hawaii but beware, having the wrong pronunciation, saying the words/phrases with a wrong tone, or using the words/phrases the wrong way in a sentence will reveal to the locals that you are not from Hawaii.
| Pidgin English | Meaning | Example |
Example Meaning |
| ack | acting up, show off, acting stupid | No ack k? | Don't act stupid ok? |
| any kine | anything | What kine you like? Any kine brah. | Which one do you want? Anything is fine. |
| an den? | and then? (usually an expression of boredeom) | Bob: Eh, I saw dis girl today. John (bored): an den? | Bob: I saw this girl today. John: Annnnnnd? |
| boddah me/you | bothering me/you | Eh, no boddah me k? | Stop bothering me. |
| brah | brother | Eh brah, we go shopping. | Hey brother/friend, lets go shopping. |
| brok da mout | taste very good (broke the mouth) | Ho, da chicken taste so good, brok da mout cuz. | The chicken was delicious. |
| braddah | same with brah (see above) | ||
| buggah | a fellow | Dat buggah went home already. | The fellow has already went back home. |
| bus | broke | He wen bus his chair cuz he too fat. | He broke his chair because he was too fat. |
| bussum out | take it out | What get in there? Bussum out. | What's in there? Take them out. |
| chang | cheap, penny pincher | Ho brah, dat guy so chang! | That guy is so cheap. |
| choke | a lot, large quantity | Da beach get choke chicks brah. | The beach has a lot of chicks. |
| cuz | 1. cousin 2. because | 1. Eh, we go cuz. 2. I no like cuz my feet soa. | 1. Lets go cousin. 2. I don't want to go because my feet hurts. |
| da kine | that kind (used when you can't recall the name of a noun) | 1. Where you going? I going da kine. 2. What food you like eat? da kine. 3. Eh, I saw da kine today. etc. | Sorry, I don't know how to translate this one... |
| das why | that's the reason | See when you eat choke, das why you fat brah. | See what happen when you eat a lot? That's the reason why you are fat. |
| eh | hey | Eh, no be like dat! | Hey, don't be like that. |
| fo | to | Eh, you know how fo do dis? | Hey, do you know how to do this? |
| fo realz? | really? | Mike: Eh, I won 1 million dolla today! Franky: Fo realz? Mike: Nah fo fake!/Nah I kidding around. | Mike: Hey I won a million dollars today. Franky: Really? Mike: Nah I am just joking. |
| fo what? | why?, how come? | Cindy: I like borrow 5 dolla? Jennifer: Fo what? | Cindy: Can I borrow 5 dollars? Jennifer: Why? |
| get fom? | 1. have it? 2. Got it? (Understand)? | 1. Eh you get fom? 2. Gotta add 2, get fom? | 1. Hey, do you have it? 2. You have to add 2. You got it? |
| givum | give it (to me/him/etc) | Brah givum already! | Hey just give it to me/him/her/them/etc. |
| grind | to eat | I was sooo hungry today, was grinding at Zippy's. | I was very hungry today. I ate a lot of food at Zippy's. |
| haole | outsiders, Caucasians | Ho brah dat hoale dunno where he going cuz. | That guy (outsider) doesn't know where he is going. |
| ho | whoa | Ho, that was bad brah! | Whoa, that was cool! |
| howzit? | How are you? How is it going? What't up? | Eh, howzit brah? Long time no see. | Hey what's up? Didn't see you for a long time. |
| k | ok | Follow me k? | Follow me ok? |
| k den | ok then, alright then | Ryan: You going home? Carlin: Yeah. Ryan: Kden | Ryan: You going home? Carlin: Yeah. Ryan: Alright then. |
| like | want, want to | You like go now? | You want to go now? |
| like beef? | Wanna fight? | Eh like beef? No ack k? | You want to fight? Don't act up ok? |
| like dis | like this | How you do dis? Like dis brah! | How do you do this? Like this. |
| like dat | like that | Joe: How you do dis? Jerry: Like dat brah! Joe: Like what? Jerry: Brah like dat!!! | Joe: How do you do this? Jerry (pointing to something): Like that. Joe: How? Jerry (still pointing): Like that!!! |
| like how? | how? | Brad: Brah, just gotta loop em. Jason: Like how brah? | Brad: You just have to loop it. Jason: How? |
| lick'ns | spanking | You got lick'ns when you was small? All da time cuz. | Did you get spanked when you were a child? All the time. |
| lolo | stupid, not smart | Can tell he lolo. | I can tell he is stupid. |
| mahaloz | thanks | Eh brah, mahaloz yeah. | Hey, thanks. |
| mahu | gay, homosexual | Eh dat guy one mahu yeah? | Hey, that guy is a homosexual huh? |
| mo bettah | more better | Nah, dat mo bettah. | Nah, that one is better. |
| no can | cannot | Da thing fit? No can brah. | Can that thing fit? No, it cannot fit. |
| no like | don't want to | Eh you like go car show wit me? Nah I no like. | Hey do you want to go to the car show with me? No, I don't want to. |
| no moah | don't have | You get any sodas left? I no moah already. | Do you have any sodas left? I don't have any left. |
| no worry | don't worry | No worry brah, I get fom. | Don't worry, I got it. |
| nuff already | enough | Like drink some moa? Nuff already! | Do you want to drink some more? No, I've had enough. |
| okole | butt | She get one big okole yea? | Does she have a big butt? |
| one | a | Eh, we go watch one movie? | Hey, lets go watch a movie. |
| ono | delicious | Da food ono cuz, try em. | Hey, the food is delicious, you should try it. |
| pau | finished, over, done | Rick: Eh, when the game start? Kevin: Pau already! | Rick: When does the game start? Kevin: It's already over. |
| planny | a lot | How much you get? I get planny cuz. | How much do you have? I have a lot. |
| shoots | ok, alright, deal (agreeing to something) | Jay: Eh we go beach. Cisco: Shoots! | Jay: Hey lets go to the beach. Cisco: OK. |
| sistah | sister | Eh sistah, where you going? | Hey, where are you going sister? |
| slippahs | slippers, shower shoes | Why you wear slippahs fo? | Why are you wearing slippers? |
| solid | nice, pretty | Eh dat chick solid yeah? | Hey that chick is pretty huh? |
| stay | is, at, is at | Where da thing stay? Brah the thing stay right thea! | Where is that thing at? That thing is right there! |
| stink eye | dirty look | Ho, da buggah gimme stink eyes! | That fellow just gave me a dirty look. |
| talk stink | speaking bad about someone | Eh, I think he talking stink about me. | Hey, I think he is talking bad about me. |
| talk story | chatting, tell stories, talking | Da lazy buggahs stay talking stories brah. | Those lazy fellows are chatting. |
| try | please | 1. Try wait. I stay busy. 2. Eh, try do dis fo me. 3. Try move. etc. | 1. Please wait. I am busy. 2. Hey, can you please do this for me? 3. Please move. etc. |
| we go | lets go | Eh we go eat. | Hey, lets eat. |
| what get? | what kinds of... (indicating variety) | You like buy shirt? What get? | Do you want to buy a t-shirt? What kinds of t-shirt do you have? |
| yeah? | huh? | Ho, that was bad yeah? | Whoa, that was cool huh? |
| yeah!?!? | same as fo realz?: really? | Amy: Eh, I forget fo bring my money. Philip: Yeah!?!? | Amy: I forgot to bring my money. Philip: Really? |
