Hawaiian Lingo!

Brah brother, friend

Da Kine can be substituted for anyword

Howzit How are you?, how is it going?

Mo'bettah this is a better way

Shaka (hand gesture) great, cool, take it easy

Stink eye getting a dirty look

Tanks eh? thank you

Regularly used Hawaiian words English Translation

A

Aloha greeting used to say hello or goodbye. Aloha can also mean love

'Aina land earth

A'a sharp lava

Ali'i Hawaiian royalty

Akamai smart, intelligent

H

Hale house or home

Hana work, bay

Haole foreigner, Caucasian

Hapa portion or part, mix of races, such as

hapa-haole

Hau`oli happy

Heiau ancient Hawaiian religious temple on a raised base of lava rocks

Hoku star

Holoholo to walk or travel for fun

Honu turtle

Hula Hawaiian form of communication

using dance

Humuhumunukunukuapua'a our State Fish, the Hawaiian triggerfish

I

imu underground pit oven used for cooking luau

K

kahuna Hawaiian priest

kai ocean, salt water

kama`aina native-Hawaiian or long-time resident

kane man

kapu forbidden, sacred

kupuna respected elder

kupunakane grandfather

kupunawahine grandmother

kau kau food

ku`uipo sweetheart

L

lanai porch, veranda

lani heavenly

laulau meat or fish wrapped in taro leaves and steamed in a ti leaf packet

lei garland of flowers, leaves, nuts, or shells

lolo crazy

luau feast

M

mahalo thank you

mahi-mahi dolphin fish

makahiki ancient Hawaiian celebration held annually with sports and religious festivities

malihini newcomer, visitor

mauna mountain

mele song, sing

menehune mythical small people who are rumored to have inhabited the Hawaiian islands before the Polynesians

N

nai'a dolphin (the mammal)

nani beautiful, enjoyable

nene endangered Hawaii native goose

niu coconut

O

`ono delicious

`opala trash

P

pali cliff

paniolo cowboy

poi pounded taro root

puka hole

pupu appetizer, snack

U

ukulele stringed instrument, small guitar

W

wahine woman

wai fresh water

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