BASIC HAWAIIAN WORDS & PHRASES

A Hui Hou – Until we meet again	Kane – man
‘Aina – land	Kahuna – priest, minister or expert any any profession
Ali’i – royalty	Kapuna – grandparent, elder, respected older person
Aloha – hello, goodbye, love	Keiki – child
Aloha nui loa – with very much love	Kokua - help
E Komo Mai – welcome	Kumu – teacher
Hale – house	Mahalo – thank you
Hana - work	Makua- parent
Hana Hou – encore, do it again, repeat, once more	Malihini – stranger, tourist, foreigner
Haole – white person, Caucasian	Mele Kalikimaka - Merry Christmas
Hapa - mixed race	No Ka Oi – the best, none better
Hau’oli Makahiki - Happy New Year	O’hana - family
Hau’oli La Hanau - Happy Birthday	Ono – delicious
Honu – sea turtle	Pau – done, finished, over with
Lana’i – porch, patio or balcony	Pau Hana – end of the work day, work is done, happy hour
Lei – necklace made of flowers, leaves, nuts and/or shells, used in welcoming or honoring people	Pupus – hor d’oevres, appetizers
Lokahi -unity	Tutu – grandparent
Luau – Hawaiian feast, party	Wahine - woman
Kai – the sea	Wikiwiki - speedy, quick
Kama’aina – (of the land) born & raised in Hawaii, having lived here a long time, a Hawaii resident

HAWAIIAN GEOGRAPHY & REAL ESTATE TERMS

Many of these words are used as (or as parts of) place names, street names, housing developments, etc. Learn these and you will always know where you are going!

Aku – directional, away (from me)

Akau – North

Awaawa – valley

‘Aina – the earth or land (that feeds)

Ala – road or path, often used in street names, such as “Ala Moana”

Caldera – A geographic feature formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption (actually, not a Hawaiian word, comes from a Spanish word)

Ewa – used as a direction, to the West or Leeward side of the island of Oahu (i.e., toward Ewa Beach)

Haku’aina – landlord, landowner

Halau – school, meeting house

Hale – house or building

Hanauma – curved bay

Hawai’i – the 50^th State of the US, comprised of a chain of 7 islands; also, the largest island of the Hawaiian island chain, also known as “the Big Island”

Helu – number

Hema – South

Hikina – East

Honolulu – the capital of and most populated city in the State of Hawaii, located on the island of Oahu

Iki – small

Kahakai - beach

Kahawai – stream

Kai - sea

Kailua (Town) – city on Oahu, meaning “two seas,” not to be confused with Kailua-Kona, the city named Kailua in the Kona region of the Big Island (Hawai’i).

Kama’aina – local person, native, resident of Hawai’i

Kaua’i – The Eastern-most island of the Hawaiian island chain, known as the Garden Isle

Koko – used as a direction, to the East or Windward side of the island of Oahu (i.e., toward the Kokohead Crater)

Komohana – West

Kona – Leeward

Ko’olau – Windward, the name of shield volcano that formed the Ko’olau Mountain Range on O’ahu

Lani – heaven

Lana’i – porch, balcony or veranda - one of the Hawaiian Islands

Lua – restroom; crater

Lumi kuke – kitchen

Makai – toward the sea

Makani – wind

Mauka – toward the mountains

Malahini – visitor, tourist, foreigner

Mauna – mountain

Moana – ocean

Moku - island

Nani – beautiful

Nui – big or large

‘Ohana – a separate living unit, attached to or on the property of another home, usually for extended family.

O’ahu – the State of Hawaii’s most populated island, known as the Gathering Place, second from the left in the Hawaiian island chain

Pa’a’aina – landholder

Pali – cliff or cliffs

Pohaku – rock

Pu’u – hill

Wai – fresh water, river

Wai’ele - waterfall

Wakea – sky

Ua – Rain