Common Hawaiian Words

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Do you want to learn to speak some Hawaiian while on your vacation? The words we provide here is a good place to start learning some of the more popular Hawaiian words that every traveler to the islands should know.

The most commonly known Hawaiian word is aloha (ah-low-ha), which could either mean hello, love, welcome or goodbye.  Whenever someone says aloha to you the most appropriate response is usually “aloha.” Expressions, tones and body languages however distinguish between the different meanings of the word aloha. The second most popularly known Hawaiian word used by many visitors is mahalo (ma-ha-loh) meaning thank you.

Visit the Hawaiian Dictionary page for our small Hawaiian Dictionary of the more popular Hawaiian words and phrases used on the islands. You will be able to search for common Hawaiian words and their meanings.

See the Hawaii Language and Hawaiian Alphabet section for help with the pronunciation of these words.

Hawaii Aloha Words


English
Hawaiian
English
Hawaiian
A M
Affection pumehana Macron Kahako
Afternoon `auinala Man Kane
air lewa  Many Mau
airplane mokulele March (month) Malaki
aluminum can kini Marlin A`u
ancient Hawaiian religious temple heiau May (month) Mei
and Ame Midnight Aumoe
angry, agitated hu hu Minute Minuke
Answer pane mix hapa
appetizer,snack pupu Monday Po`akahi
Apprentice kako`o Month Mahina
April `Apelila moon mahina 
August `Aukake Moral Pono
Aunt `anake Morning Kakahiaka
automobile ka'a Mother Makuahine
Autumn Ha`ule lau mountain mauna
Away (directional) aku Mulberry tree Wauke
My Ko`u
B
bad maika`i`ole N
bait maunu Name Inoa
bathing suit lole 'au'au Native-Hawaiian resident kama`aina
bathroom,toilet lua Necklace of flowers or shells lei
Beach Kahakai newcomer,visitor malihini
Beautiful Nani nice,pleasant `olu`olu
Begin Pa Night Po
Big, large Nui no a'ole
Birth Hanau Noon Awakea
Birthday La hanau noontime awakea
Bone(s) Iwi North Akau
Breadfruit `Ulu nose ihu
breeze ahe not feeling well `oma`ima`I
Brother Kaikua`ana November Nowemapa
butterfly pulelehua  Number Helu
C O
cake pa'ipalaoa Observe Nana
Candlenut tree Kukui Ocean Kai, moana
canoe wa`a Ocean-side Ma kai
Celebration Ho`olaule`a October `Okakopa
Chant Mele, oli Octopus He`e
Chicken Moa Organization Hui
Chief Ali`i Owl Pueo
Child Keiki
cliff pali P
close kokoke palm tree palama
cocktail lama pa'ipa'I Pandanus tree Hala
coconut niu Parent Makua
Coconut tree Kumu nui pay uku
cold anuanu Picasso triggerfish (State Fish) Humuhumunukunukuapua'a
Colleague Makamaka Picture Ki`i
Come Hele mai Pig Pua`a
comeback ho`i mai Pineapple Hala kahiki
cook ho`omo`a Please `Olu`olu, E `olu`olu `oe
cook over hot coals pulehu Porch, patio Lanai
cool hu'i hu'I pounded taro root poi
cooperate laulima Prayer Pule
Cousin Hoahanau pregnant hapai
cow pipi Preserve (to preserve, care for) Malama
Cowboy Paniolo pretty na`au
crazy lolo Problems Pilikia
cry ue Purchase Ku`ai
D Q
Dance Hula Question Ninau
Daughter Kaikamahine quickly,fast wikiwiki
Day La
Dead Make R
December Kekemapa Rain Ua
Deity Ku rainbow anuenue
delicious `ono Rat `Iole
Desire Makemake Real, true Maoli
dog `ilio Relative `Ohana
dollar,money kala Rest Moe
Dolphin Nai`a Rock Pohaku
done pau Royalty Ali`i
dragonfly pinao 
dream moe'uhane  S
drink inu Saturday Po`aono
Duck Kaka School Halau, kula
seaweed limu
E Second (fraction of a minute) Kekona
Earth Papa September Kepakemapa
East Hikina Shark Mano
Eat Ai sharp jagged lava rock a`a 
Elder Kupuna Shrimp `Opae
enter ho'okomo Sick Ma`i
evening ahi`ahi Silence Mu
Excellence Pono Sing Himeni
Expert Olohe Sister Kaikuahine
Eye glasses Maka aniani skinny wiwi
Eyes Maka Sky Wakea
Sleep Moe moe
F smart, intelligent akamai
faithful ho`opono smell bad hohono
Family `Ohana smell good `a`ala
Father Makua kane smooth lava pahoehoe
favorite punahele Son Keiki kane
feast lu`au song,sing mele
February Pepeluali South Hema
fight hakaka Speak `Olelo
Finished Pau spiritual power mana
fire ahi Spring (season) Kupulau
Fish (noun) I`a star hoku
Flea `Uku stone,rock pohaku
Flower Pua Stream Kahawai
follow hahai street alanui
food kaukau stringed instrument, small guitar ukulele
forbidden,sacred kapu strong ikaika
foreigner haole strong,soldier koa
Friday Po`alima Sugar cane Ko
Friend Hoaloha Summer Kau wela
Sunday Lapule
G sunset napo'o 'ana o ka la
gift makana surprise pu`iwa
give birth hanau Swordfish A`u
Glass Aniani
Go Hele aku T
God Ke Akua Taro Kalo
Gold, golden Kula Teacher Kumu
good maika`i Thank you Mahalo
Good luck pomaika'I The (Plural) Na
Goose Nene The (Singular) Ka
Grandfather Kupuna kane There Aia
Grandmother kupuna wahine think mana`o
group, organization hui Thursday Po`aha
Today Keia la
H Tomorrow Kela 'apopo
half hapalua tour,sightsee maka`ika`I
handsome,loveliness nohea towards the mountains, inland mauka
happy hau`oli towards the ocean makai
Hawaiian dance (communicate) Hula traditional,old,ancient kahiko
healthy,alive ola trash `opala
Heaven Lani Trouble Pilikia
hello, goodbye or love. aloha troupe halau hula
Help Kokua Tuesday Po`alua
Hibiscus Aloalo turn huli
Hill Pu`u Turtle Honu
hole puka
Hole (with a bottom, crater) Lua U
Holiday Lanui Uncle `Anakala
hospitality ho`okipa under ground pit oven used in luau imu
Hour Hola
house, building hale V
How Pehea Visitor Malihini
Humbleness Ha`aha`a victory lanakila
humpback whale Kohala
hungry pololi W
Husband Pilikua Warrior Kekoa
water (not salt water) wai
I Wednesday Po`akolu
I Au Week Hepekoma, pule
Image, carving Ki Weekday La noa
Infant Kamaiki West Komohana
Inland Mau ka Whale Kohola
introduce ho`olauna Where? Aia i hea?
invite kono Who `O wai
Island Moku Wife Pilialo
Wind Makani
J Window Puka aniani
January Ianuali Windward Ko`olau
July Iulai Winter Ho`oilo
June Iune Woman Wahine
Work Hana
K
kiss honi Y
Year Makahiki
L Yes `Ae
land, earth `aina Yesterday I nehinei
laugh `aka`aka You (Plural) Oukou
Leeward Kona You (Singular) Oe
Lesson Ha`awina Your Kou
Letter Leka youthful looking u`I
listen ho`olohe
lizard mo`o 
long and loose dress mu’umu’u
Lover Ipo