From Wikitravel
Hawaiian, along with English, is an official
language of the State of Hawaii.
Pronunciation guide
The Hawaiian alphabet has just 12 letters - consonants are H, K,
L, M, N, P, and W, and vowels are A, E, I, O, and U.
In addition, there are two symbols that are commonly used. A
glottal stop (`, called an "`okina") indicates a
short pause. You will find these at the beginnings of words or in
between vowels. When you see a glottal stop, don't let the
syllables run into each other; instead, pause for a very brief
moment and continue with the word. A macron
(straight line over vowel, called a "kahakō") indicates a stressed
vowel. When you see a macron, draw out the vowel for a little
longer than you would a normal vowel.
Vowels
a is pronounced "ah" - like the "a" in
"father".
e is pronounced "ey" - like the "ay" in
"hay".
i is pronounced "ee" - like the name of the
English letter "e".
o is pronounced "oh" - just like the English
"o".
u is pronounced "oo" - like the "oo" in
"food".
Consonants
All consonants in Hawaiian are pronounced like their English
counterparts, with the exception of W.
w is often pronounced like the English "w".
However, sometimes it is pronounced like the English "v" - changing
the "wuh" sound to a "vuh" sound.
Common diphthongs
Diphthongs in Hawaiian can be tricky. You must make sure that
there is not a glottal stop between the vowels - if there is, you
do not blend the vowels, but instead insert a pause between them.
If there is no glottal stop, however, just blend the vowels
together in most cases.
aa, ee, ii,
oo, and uu are not pronounced
differently than their single forms. "aa" is pronounced the same as
"a".
ae is pronounced like the English "I".
ai is pronounced by saying "Eye-ee".
ao is pronounced "Ah-oh".
au is pronounced like the English "ow" - like
what you say when you're hurt.
ea is pronounced "Ey-ah".
ei is pronounced "Ey-ee".
eo is pronounced "Ey-oh".
ia is pronounced "Ee-ah", but you can get away
with saying "Ya".
ie is pronounced "Ee-ey", but you can get away
with saying "Yay".
io is pronounced "Ee-oh", but you can get away
with saying "Yo".
oa is pronounced "Oh-ah".
oe is pronounced "Oh-ey".
oi is pronounced "Oh-ee".
ou is pronounced "Oh-oo".
ua is pronounced "Oo-ah".
ue is pronounced "Oo-ey", but you can also say
the word "way" and you'll be pretty close.
ui is pronounced "Oo-ee".
uo is pronounced "Oo-oh", but you can also say
the word "whoa" and you'll be pretty close.
- Hello.
- Aloha. (ah-LO-ha)
- Hello. (informal)
- Aloha. (ah-LO-ha)
- How are you?
- Pehea `oe? (pey-HEY-ah OH-ey)
- Fine, thank you.
- Maika`i, mahalo. (my-KAI-ee, ma-HA-lo)
- What is your name?
- `O wai kou inoa? (oh vy KO EE-no-ah)
- My name is ______.
- `O _____ ko'u inoa.(oh _____ KO-oo EE-no-ah)
- Nice to meet you.
- Ua maika'i ko kaua hui 'ana (OO-ah my-KAI-ee ko COW-ah
HOO-ee AH-na)
- Please.
- `olu`olu. (OH-loo-OH-loo)
- Thank you.
- Mahalo. (ma-HA-lo)
- You're welcome.
- He me iki ia/Me pu oe. (HAY may EE-kee EE-ah/MAY poo
OH-ey)
- Yes.
- `Ae . (eye)
- No.
- `A`ole . (AH-oh-lay)
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- E ia nei. (EY EE-ah NAY-ee)
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- Noi kou kala. (NO-ee KO-oo KA-la)
- I'm sorry.
- E kala mai ia`u. (ey KA-la my YA-oo)
- Goodbye.
- A hui hou. (AH HOO-ee HO-oo)
- Goodbye. (informal)
- Aloha. (ah-LO-ha)
- I can't speak name of language [well].
- `A`ole au `olelo [maika'i]. (AH-oh-lay ow OH-leh-lo
[my-KAI-ee])
- Do you speak Hawai'ian?
- `Olelo Hawai`i `oe? (OH-leh-lo ha-VY-ee OH-ey)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- `Olelo Pelekania kekahi? (OH-leh-lo peh-leh-ka-NEE-ah
kay-KA-hee)
- Help!
- Kōkua! (KO-koo-ah)
- Look out!
- E akahele! (EY ah-ka-HAY-lay)
- Good morning.
- Aloha kakahiaka. (ah-LO-ha ka-ka-hee-AH-ka)
- Good evening.
- Aloha ahiahi. (ah-LO-ha AH-hi-AH-hi)
- Good night.
- Aloha pō. (ah-LO-ha PO)
- Good night. (to sleep)
- Pō maika`i. (PO my-KAI-ee)
- I don't understand.
- `A`ole maopopo. (AH-oh-lay MA-oh-po-po)
- Where is the toilet?
- Ma hea ka lua? (ma HAY-ah ka LOO-ah)
- Leave me alone.
- Ha`alele ko`u ho`okahi. (HA-ah-lay-lay KO-oo
ho-oh-KA-hee)
- Don't touch me!
- `A`ole pā ko`u! (ah-OH-lay PA KO-oo)
- I'll call the police.
- E hea māka`i ana au! (EY HAY-ah MA-ka-ee ah-na
ow)
- Police!
- Māka`i! (MA-ka-ee)
- Stop! Thief!
- Ho`opau! `Aihue! (HO-oh-pow! AY-hoo-ey)
- I need help.
- Kōkua pono au. (KO-koo-ah PO-no ow)
- It's an emergency.
- Ulia pōpilikia. (oo-LEE-ah PO-pee-lee-kee-ah)
- I'm lost.
- O lilo au. (oh LEE-lo ow)
- I lost my bag.
- `Eke ko`u lilo au. (EY-kay KO-oo LEE-lo ow)
- I lost my wallet.
- `Eke kālā ko`u lilo au. (EY-kay KA-LA KO-oo LEE-lo
ow)
- I'm sick.
- O ma`i au. (oh MA-ee ow)
- I'm injured.
- O `ālina au. (oh AH-lee-na ow)
- I need a doctor.
- Kauka pono au. (KOW-ka PO-no ow)
- Can I use your phone?
- Kou kelepona ho`ohana au? (KOU kay-lay-PO-na HO-oh-HA-na
ow)
- 0
- `Ole (OH-lay)
- 1
- `Ekahi (ey-KA-hee)
- 2
- `Elua (ey-LOO-ah)
- 3
- `Ekolu (ey-KOH-loo)
- 4
- `Ehā (ey-HAH)
- 5
- `Elima (ey-LEE-ma)
- 6
- `Eono (ey-OH-no)
- 7
- `Ehiku (ey-HEE-koo)
- 8
- `Ewalu (ey-VAH-loo)
- 9
- `Eiwa (ey-EE-vah)
- 10
- `Umi (OO-mee)
- 11
- `Umi kūmākahi (OO-mee KOO-ma-KA-hee)
- 12
- `Umi kūmālua (OO-mee KOO-ma-LOO-ah)
- 13
- `Umi kūmākolu (OO-mee KOO-ma-KOH-loo)
- 14
- `Umi kūmāhā (OO-mee KOO-ma-HAH)
- 15
- `Umi kūmālima (OO-mee KOO-ma-LEE-ma)
- 16
- `Umi kūmāono (OO-mee KOO-ma-OH-no)
- 17
- `Umi kūmāhiku (OO-mee KOO-ma-HEE-koo)
- 18
- `Umi kūmāwalu (OO-mee KOO-ma-VAH-loo)
- 19
- `Umi kūmāiwa (OO-mee KOO-ma-EE-vah)
- 20
- Iwakālua (ee-vah-KA-loo-ah)
- 21
- Iwakālua kūmākahi (ee-vah-KA-loo-ah
KOO-ma-KA-hee)
- 22
- Iwakālua kūmālua (ee-vah-KA-loo-ah KOO-ma-LOO-ah)
- 23
- Iwakālua kūmākolu (ee-vah-KA-loo-ah
KOO-ma-KOH-loo)
- 24
- Iwakālua kūmāhā (ee-vah-KA-loo-ah KOO-ma-HA)
- 25
- Iwakālua kūmālima (ee-vah-KA-loo-ah
KOO-ma-LEE-ma)
- 30
- Kanakolu (ka-na-KOH-loo)
- 40
- Kanahā (ka-na-HA)
- 50
- Kanalima (ka-na-LEE-ma)
- 60
- Kanaono (ka-na-OH-no)
- 70
- Kanahiku (ka-na-HEE-koo)
- 80
- Kanawalu (ka-na-VAH-loo)
- 90
- Kanaiwa (ka-na-EE-vah)
- 100
- Hanele (ha-NAY-lay)
- 200
- `Elua haneli (ey-LOO-ah ha-NAY-lee)
- 300
- `Ekolu haneli (ey-KOH-loo ha-NAY-lee)
- 500
- `Elima haneli (ey-LEE-ma ha-NAY-lee)
- 1000
- Kaukani (kow-KAH-nee)
- 2000
- `Elua kaukani (ey-LOO-ah kow-KAH-nee)
- 1,000,000
- Miliona (mee-lee-OH-na)
- 1,000,000,000
- Piliona (pee-lee-OH-na)
- Half
- Hapalua (ha-pa-LOO-ah)
- Less
- Hapa iki (ha-pa EE-kee)
- More
- Hou (HO-oo)
- now
- i kēia manawa (ee KAY-ee-ah ma-na-VAH)
- later
- mahope aku (ma-HO-pay AH-koo)
- before
- mua (MOO-ah)
- morning
- kakahiaka (ka-ka-hee-AH-ka)
- afternoon
- `auinalā (ow-EE-na-LA)
- night
- pō (PO)
Clock time
- one o'clock AM
- hola `ekahi AM (HO-la ey-KA-hee AH-moo)
- two o'clock AM
- hola `elua AM (HO-la ey-LOO-ah AH-moo)
- ten o'clock AM
- hola 'umi AM (HO-la OO-mee AH-moo)
- noon
- awakea (ah-vah-KAY-ah)
- one o'clock PM
- hola 'ekahi PM (HO-la ey-KA-hee PEE-moo)
- two o'clock PM
- hola 'elua PM (HO-la ey-LOO-ah PEE-moo)
- ten o'clock PM
- hola 'umi PM (HO-la OO-mee PEE-moo)
- midnight
- aumoe (OW-mo-ey)
Duration
- ____ minute(s)
- ____ minuke (mee-NOO-kay)
- ____ hour(s)
- ____ hola (HO-la)
- ____ day(s)
- ____ lā (LA)
- ____ week(s)
- ____ pule (POO-lay)
- ____ month(s)
- ____ mahina (ma-HEE-na)
- ____ year(s)
- ____ makahiki (ma-ka-HEE-kee)
Days
- today
- i kēia lā (ee KAY-ee-ah LA)
- yesterday
- nehinei (nay-HEE-nay-ee)
- tomorrow
- `apōpō (ah-PO-po)
- this week
- kēia pule (KAY-ee-ah POO-lay)
- last week
- mua pule (MOO-ah POO-lay)
- next week
- a`e pule (AH-ey POO-lay)
- Monday
- Po`akahi (po-ah-KA-hee)
- Tuesday
- Po`alua (po-ah-LOO-ah)
- Wednesday
- Po`akolu (po-ah-KOH-loo)
- Thursday
- Po`ahā (po-ah-HA)
- Friday
- Po'alima (po-ah-LEE-ma)
- Saturday
- Po'aono (po-ah-OH-no)
- Sunday
- Lāpule (LA-poo-lay)
Note: Days of the week begin on Monday.
Months
- January
- Ianuali (ee-AH-noo-ah-lee)
- February
- Pepeluali (pay-pay-loo-AH-lee)
- March
- Malaki (ma-LA-kee)
- April
- Apelila (ah-pay-LEE-la)
- May
- Mei (may-EE)
- June
- Iune (ee-OO-nay)
- July
- Iulai (ee-OO-ly)
- August
- `Aukake (ow-KA-kay)
- September
- Kepakemapa (kay-pah-kay-MA-pa)
- October
- `Okakopa (oh-ka-KOH-pa)
- November
- Nowemapa (no-vay-MA-pa)
- December
- Kekemapa (kay-kay-MA-pa)
Writing Dates
Dates are written like so: O ka lā (day) kēia o (month)
o (year)
This translates in English to "On the (day) day of this (month)
of (year)".
Example: To write "June 19, 2007", you would write O ka
lā 19 kēia o Iune o 2007.
- Red
- `Ula`ula (OO-la-OO-la)
- Orange
- `Alani (ah-LA-nee)
- Yellow
- Melemele (MAY-lay-MAY-lay)
- Green
- `ō`ma`oma`o (OH-ma-oh-ma-oh)
- Blue
- Polū (po-LOO)
- Purple
- Poni (PO-nee)
- Pink
- `Ākala (AH-ka-la)
- Black
- `Ele`Ele (EH-lay-EH-lay)
- White
- Ke`oke`o (KAY-oh-KAY-oh)
- Grey
- `Āhinahina (AH-hee-na-hee-na)
- Brown
- Maku`e/Palaunu (ma-KOO-ey/pa-LA-oo-noo)
- car
- ka`a (KA-ah)
- bus
- ka`a `ōhua (KA-ah OH-hoo-ah)
- train
- ka`aahi (ka-AH-hee)
- airplane
- mokulele (MO-koo-lay-lay)
- bicycle
- paikikala (PY-kee-ka-la)
- motorcycle
- mokokaikala (mo-ko-KY-ka-la)
Bus and train
- How much is a ticket to ________?
- Kumu kū`ai o kikiki i ________? (KOO-moo KOO-eye o
kee-KEE-kee i ________?)
- One ticket to ________, please.
- `Ekahi kikiki i ________, `olu`olu. (ey-KA-hee kee-KEE-kee
ee ________, OH-loo-OH-loo)
- Where does this train/bus go?
- `Auhea ka`a `ōhua/ka`aahi nō hele ai? (ow-HAY-ah KA-ah
OH-hoo-ah/ka-AH-hee NO HAY-lay eye)
Directions
- Where is ________?
- `Auhea ________? (ow-HAY-ah)
- Show me on the map.
- Hō`ike ko`u i palapala`āina. (HO-ee-kay KO-oo ee
pa-la-pa-la-EYE-na)
- street
- alanui (ah-la-NOO-ee)
- Turn left.
- Huli hema (HOO-lee HAY-ma)
- Turn right.
- Huli `ākau (HOO-lee AH-kow)
- straight ahead
- i mua pololei (ee MOO-ah po-lo-LAY)
- North
- Akau (ah-KOW)
- South
- Hema (HAY-ma)
- West
- Komohana (KO-mo-HA-na)
- East
- Hikina (hee-KEE-na)
- uphill
- i luna (ee LOO-na)
- downhill
- i lalo (ee LA-lo)
- intersection
- huina (hoo-EE-na)
Taxi
- Taxi!
- Ka`a `ōhua! (KA-ah OH-hoo-ah)
- Take me to _________ please.
- Lawe a`u i _________ `olu`olu. (LA-vay ah-oo ee _________
OH-loo-OH-loo)
- How much does it cost to go _________?
- Kumu kū`ai i hele i _________? (KOO-moo KOO-eye ee HAY-lay
ee _________?)
- Leave me there, please.
- Ho`i a`u laila, `olu`olu. (HO-ee AH-oo LY-la,
OH-loo-OH-loo)
- Are there any rooms available?
- Kekahi lumi hāmama? (kay-KA-hee LOO-mee HA-ma-ma)
- How much is the room?
- Kumu kū`ai o lumi? (KOO-moo KOO-eye oh LOO-mee)
- Does the room come with...
- Lumi aia maloko... (LOO-mee EYE-ah MA-lo-ko)
- ... bedsheets?
- hāli`i moe? (HA-lee-ee MO-ey)
- ... a bathroom?
- he lua? (he LOO-ah)
- ... a telephone?
- he kelepona? (he kay-lay-PO-na)
- ... a TV?
- he kelewikiona? (he KAY-lay-vee-kee-OH-na)
- I will stay for ____ nights.
- Au noho no ____ pō. (AH-oo NO-ho no ____ PO)
- Wake me at ________.
- Ho`āla a`u ________. (ho-AH-la AH-oo ________)
- I am checking out.
- Au kaha waho. (ow KA-ha VA-ho)
- Do you accept American/Canadian/Australian money?
- `Āpono `Amelika/Kanaka/`Aukekulelia kālā? (AH-po-no
ah-may-LEE-ka/ka-NA-ka/ow-kay-koo-lay-LEE-lee-a KA-la)
- Do you accept British pounds?
- `Āpono Pelekane paona? (AH-po-no pay-lay-KA-nay
pa-OH-na)
- Do you accept Euros?
- `Āpono `Eulopa kālā? (AH-po-no EH-oo-LO-pa KA-la)
- Do you accept credit cards?
- `Āpono hō`ai`ē kāleka? (AH-po-no HO-eye-EY
KA-lay-ka)
- Can you change money?
- `Oe loli kālā? (OH-ey LO-lee KA-la)
- Where is an ATM (Automated Teller Machine)?
- `Auhea mīkini panakō? (ow-HAY-ah MEE-kee-nee
pa-na-KOH)
- Table, please.
- Pākaukau, `olu`olu. (PA-kow-kow, OH-loo-OH-loo)
- Menu, please.
- Papa kuhikuhi mea `ai, `olu`olu. (PA-pa KOO-hee-KOO-hee
MAY-ah EYE, OH-loo-OH-loo)
- I'm vegetarian.
- O mea ulu `ai wale nō au. (oh MAY-ah OO-loo eye VA-lay NO
ow)
- breakfast
- `aina kakahiaka. (EYE-na ka-ka-hee-AH-ka)
- lunch
- `aina awakea. (EYE-na ah-vah-KAY-ah)
- dinner
- `aina ahiahi (EYE-na AH-hee-AH-hee)
- chicken
- moa (MO-ah)
- beef
- pipi (PEE-pee)
- fish
- i`a (EE-ah)
- ham
- pua`a hame (poo-AH-ah HA-may)
- sausage
- na`aukake (NA-ow-KA-kay)
- cheese
- waiūpa`a (vy-OO-pa-ah)
- eggs
- hua (HOO-ah)
- salad
- lau `ai (LA-oo eye)
- vegetables
- mea ulu (MAY-ah OO-loo)
- fruit
- he mea ulu i mea ai (hay MAY-ah OO-loo ee MAY-ah
eye)
- bread
- palaoa (pa-la-OH-ah)
- toast
- palaoa ho`opāpa`a (pa-la-OH-ah HO-oh-PA-pa-ah)
- noodles
- nulu (NOO-loo)
- rice
- laiki (LY-kee)
- beans
- pāpapa (PA-pa-pa)
- coffee
- kope (KO-pay)
- tea
- kī (KEE)
- water
- wai (VY)
- juice
- ka wai mai ka mea ulu mai (ka VY MY ka MAY-ah OO-loo
MY)
- beer
- pia (PEE-ah)
- wine
- waina (VY-nah)
- salt
- pa`akai (pa-ah-KY)
- black pepper
- pepa (PAY-pah)
- butter
- waiūpaka (vy-OO-pa-ka)
- Waiter!
- Kuene! (koo-AY-nay)
- Check, please.
- Pila kīko`o, `olu`olu. (PEE-la KEE-ko-oh,
OH-loo-OH-loo)
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