Glossary of

Common Hawaiian Vocabulary

Commonly Used Words in Hawaiian
HAWAIIAN WORD
a
ae
ahupuaa
ina
akamai
akua
ala
alii
aloha
aole
auau
aumakua
aumkua
hlau
hale
hana
hnai
haole
hapa
hapa haole
heiau
hele
hoaaloha
hoolaulea
hike
hk
holoholo
honu
hula
hula auana
hula kahiko
hulihuli
humuhumunukunukupuaa

MEANING
A type of sharp jagged lava rock (in contrast to phoehoe)
Yes; to say yes
Land division usually extending from the uplands to the sea
Land, earth; especially Hawaiian ancestral land
Smart, clever, intelligent
God, goddess
Path, road, trail
Chief, chiefess, noble; royal, aristocratic
Love, affection; greeting, salutation; Hello! Good-bye!
No, not
To bathe
Ancestral spirit, family or personal god (unique singular form)
Family or personal gods (unique plural form)
Traditional hula school; long house for canoes
House, building
Work, job, labor
A child adopted according to Hawaiian traditions; to raise, rear, feed,
adopt
A non-Native Hawaiian, especially those of Caucasian ancestry (a
sensitive word, however, not derogatory)
Part, half; a reference to those of mixed ancestry
A person of mixed Native Hawaiian and Caucasian ancestry; also a type of
music mixing Hawaiian and English lyrics
Pre-Christian place of worship
To go
Friend, companion
Celebration
To show; a show
Star
To travel around for enjoyment; also used as a reference for fishing
Turtle
The dance of Hawaii
Modern hula; informal without ceremony or offering; accompanied by
singing and the playing of stringed instruments such as the ukulele
Traditional hula, performed to chants and accompanied by percussion
instruments
Rotisserie or end-over-end, as in chicken cooked this way
The State fish; a type of triggerfish

ia
imu
kahak
kahu
kai
kl
kamaina
kamalii
kne
kanikapila
kapa
kapu
keiki
Kepan
koa
kkua
kolohe
kuleana
kumu
kupuna
kpuna
lnai
lani
laulima
lei
loi
lkahi
lau
maemae
mahalo
maikai
ma kai
makana
makua
mkua
mlama
malihini
manao
manapua
manini
man

Fish or any marine animal, as eel, oyster, crab, whale

An underground oven, as often seen at lau
A macron indicating a long vowel sound in Hawaiian language
Guardian, caretaker; pastor
Sea, sea water; seaward direction
Money, dollar
Native-born; acquainted, familiar; commonly refers to a long-time
resident of Hawaii
Little children
Male
A Pidgin reference to a musical jam session (literally in Hawaiian let the
instruments sound)
A blanket including quilts; often used in Hawaii Creole English to refer to
bark cloth made from wauke or mmaki plants
Sacred, taboo, forbidden; no trespassing
Child, offspring
A person of Japanese ancestry
Warrior; a native tree with wood used to build canoes and other valuable
items
Help, aid, assistance, relief
Mischievous, naughty
Responsibility; privilege; a traditional land holdings of Native Hawaiians
Teacher
Grandparent, ancestor (unique singular form)
Grandparents, ancestors (unique plural form)
Porch, patio, or balcony
Sky, the heavens; also used to refer to alii (chiefs)
Cooperation
Flowers, leaves, shells, or feathers that are strung and/or entwined and
given as a symbol of affection
Taro patch; irrigated terrace, especially for taro
Unity, agreement, harmony
Hawaiian feast; edible young leaves of the taro plant
Clean, pure, attractive, chaste; cleanliness, purity
Thanks, gratitude, respect
Excellent
Toward the ocean, towards the sea
A gift, present
Parent, any relative of the parents generation (unique singular form)
Parents, any relatives of the parents generation (unique plural form)
To take care of, preserve, protect, maintain
A newcomer, visitor; new, unfamiliar, of foreign origin
Thought, idea, belief, opinion
Chinese pork bun (derived from meaono puaa meaning pork cake)
A type of fish; also a slang term for stingy and small
Shark

manu
manuahi
ma uka
mele
menehune
moana
moku
moo
moopuna
nalu
nani
niu
nui
ohana
okina
lelo
lelo paiai
oli
ono
ono
pala
p
phoehoe
Pk
pali
paniolo
pau
pilikia
Pilipino
phaku
pmaika`i
p
puaa
Pukik
pule
pp
ui
waa
wahine
whine
wai
wikiwiki

Bird
Free, gratis
Inland, upland, toward the mountains
Chant or melodic song for hula dancing; poem, poetry
In Hawaiian oral literature, a race of small people who are believed to
work during the night building roads, fishponds, and temples
Ocean
A district of an island; a small offshore island; also; poetic reference to
large islands
Lizard; supernatural dragon-like water spirit
Grandchild
Wave, surf
Beautiful, pretty
Coconut
Big, large, great, or important
Family, kin group, relative
Symbol representing the glottal stop in Hawaiian language; only used in
front of vowels
Language, speech; to speak, say, tell, converse; oral, verbal
Hawaiian for "Pidgin, the language linguists call Hawai'i Creole English;
also the broken Hawaiian from which Pidgin developed
Chant; especially with prolonged phrases chanted in one breath
A type of fish
Delicious, tasty, savory; to relish, crave
Garbage, trash
Stomach, abdomen
Smooth, ropey lava (in contrast to a)
A person of Chinese ancestry
Cliff, a steep hill or slope
Hawaiian cowboy
Finished, ended, all done
Troubles, nuisance, difficulty
A person of Filipino ancestry
Stone, rock
Good fortune, blessing
Conch shell instrument similar to a trumpet
Pig, boar
A person of Portuguese ancestry
Prayer, incantation, blessing, grace; to pray, worship, ask for a blessing
Mollusk, shell
Handsome, pretty, beautiful
Canoe
Female, woman, lady (unique singular form)
Females, women, ladies (unique plural form)
Water, usually fresh water
Fast or speedy

Common Hawaiian Phrases

HAWAIIAN PHRASE
Aloha
A hui hou
Aloha Kakahiaka
Aloha auinal
Aloha ahiahi
Aloha ina
Aloha au i oe
Aloha nui loa
Pehea oe?
Maikai n au
Mahalo
Mahalo nui loa
Aole pilikia
E komo mai
Hana hou
Hauoli
Hauoli L Hnau
Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Mele Kalikimaka
Mele Kalikimaka a Hauoli Makahiki Hou

MEANING
Hello, goodbye, love
Unit we meet again, goodbye
Good morning
Good afternoon
Good evening
Love of the land; demonstrated through nurturing and care
I love you (referring to you singular)
Very much love
How are you?
I am fine
Thank you
Thank you very much
Youre welcome, no problem
Welcome! Enter
Encore, do it again
Happy, glad, joy
Happy Birthday
Happy New Year
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Hawaiian Foods
HAWAIIAN FOOD
haupia
kalo
klua pig
laulau

limu
lomi salmon
lau
paiai
poi
poke
pp
squid lau

DESCRIPTION
A dessert similar to jello made with coconut milk
Taro, a kind of aroid cultivated for food
Pork cooked in an imu (underground oven)
A traditional Hawaiian dish containing pork, beef, salted
fish, and taro leaves, which is wrapped in t leaves and is
either cooked in an imu or steamed
Seaweed
A Hawaiian dish made of tomatoes, onions, and salmon
The edible leaves of the taro plant as used in laulau and in
squid lau
Poi in its undiluted form
The Hawaiian staple food; made from cooked taro,
pounded into paiai, then thinned with water
A Hawaiian dish made of raw cubed fish and seasonings;
eaten as an appetizer
Snacks, appetizers, hors doeuvres
A dish made from octopus (called squid in Pidgin),
coconut milk, and lau (taro leaves).

Basic Numerical Terms

Major Airport Cities

ISLAND
Oahu
Maui
Hawaii
Kauai
Molokai
Lnai

AIRPORT CITY
Honolulu (HNL)
Kahului (OGG)
Hilo (ITO), Kona (KOA)
Lhue (LIH)
Hoolehua (MKK)
Lnai City (LNY)

NUMBER
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten

Hawaiian Channels
CHANNEL NAME
Alenuihh
Alalkeiki
Auau
Pailolo
Kalohi
Kaiwi (Molokai Channel)
Kaulakahi
Kaieie Waho

LOCATED BETWEEN
Hawaii Island and Maui
Kahoolawe and Maui
Lnai and Maui
Molokai and Maui
Lnai and Molokai
Oahu and Molokai
Niihau and Kauai
Kauai and Oahu

Alii Names
ALII
Paiea
Liholiho
Kauikeaouli
Alexander Liholiho
Lot Kapuiwa
William Charles Lunalilo
David Kalkaua
Lydia Kamakaeha

MONARCH
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha II
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha IV
Kamehameha V
King Lunalilo
King Kalkaua
Queen Liliuokalani

Calendar Terms
DAY
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

MONTH
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

HAWAIIAN TERM
Ekahi
Elua
Ekolu
Eh
Elima
Eono
Ehiku
Ewalu
Eiwa
Umi

HAWAIIAN TERM
Lpule
Poakahi
Poalua
Poakolu
Poah
Poalima
Poaono

HAWAIIAN TERM
Ianuali
Pepeluali
Malaki
Apelila
Mei
Iune
Iulai
Aukake
Kepakemapa
Okakopa
Nowemapa
Kekemapa

General Island Place Names

HAWAII
Hilo
Kohala
Ka
Puak

KAHOOLAWE
Hakioawa
Kanapou
Kaulana
Kheia

MAUI
Hna
ao
Kahului
Lahaina

LNAI
Knepuu
Kaunol
Kele
Mnele

MOLOKAI
Hoolehua
Kalaupapa
Kaunakakai
Moomomi

OAHU
Honolulu
Kailua
Waikk
Haleiwa

Also Known As
HAWAIIAN NAME

Mokuola

Oheo

Kaiolohia
Keahiakawelo (The Fire of Kawelo)

Kumimi

Ehukai
Lahi
Mnana
Mokolii Island
Mokuumeume

Makana

ALSO KNOWN AS

Coconut Island

Seven Sacred Pools

Shipwreck Beach
Garden of the Gods

20 Mile Beach

Pipeline
Diamond Head
Rabbit Island
Chinamans Hat
Ford Island

Bali Hai

ISLAND
Hawaii

Maui

Lnai


Molokai

Oahu





Kauai

KAUAI
Hanalei
Kapaa
Kekaha
Lhue

NIIHAU
Keawanui
Kiekie
Phau
Puuwai