Useful Hawaiian phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Hawaiian, a Polynesian language spoken in Hawaii.

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See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.

Guide to abbreviations: inf = informal, frm = formal, sg = singular (to one person), dl = dual (to two people), pl = plural (to three or more people).

English ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian)
Welcome Aloha
E komo mai (Come in - used when welcoming sb to your home)
Hello (General greeting) Aloha
E komo mai (Come in - used when welcoming sb to your home)
How are you? Pehea ʻoe? (sg)
Pehea ʻolua? (dl)
Pehea ʻoukou? (pl)
Reply to 'How are you?' Maikaʻi, a ʻo ʻoe? (Good, and you?)
What's your name? ʻO wai kou inoa?
My name is ... ʻO ... koʻu inoa
Where are you from? No hea mai ʻoe?
I'm from ... No ... mai au
Long time no see
Pleased to meet you Hauʻoli kēia hui ʻana o kāua
Good morning
(Morning greeting)
Aloha kakahiaka
Aloha awakea
Good afternoon
(Afternoon greeting)
Aloha ʻauinalā
Good evening
(Evening greeting)
Aloha ahiahi
Goodbye
(Parting phrases)
A hui hou
Aloha
Good night A hui hou
Aloha
Good luck! Pōmaikaʻi!
Maikaʻi pōmaikaʻi!
Cheers! Good Health!
(Toasts used when drinking)
Huli pau!
ʻŌkole maluna! (bottoms up - considered vulgar by some)
Bon appetit /
Have a nice meal
E ʻai kāua (dl) (Let's eat!)
E ʻai kākou (pl) (Let's eat!)
Bon voyage /
Have a good journey
Yes ʻAe
No ʻAʻole
Maybe Pēlā paha
I don't know ʻAʻole au maopopo
Do you understand?
I understand Maopopo iaʻu
I don't understand ʻAʻole au maopopo
Maopopo iaʻu ʻole
Please speak more slowly E ʻoluʻolu e ʻōlelo mālie
E ʻōlelo mālie, ke ʻoluʻolu
Please write it down E ʻoluʻolu e kākau iho ʻoe
E kākau iho ʻoe, ke ʻoluʻolu
Do you speak English? ʻŌlelo anei ʻoe i ka ʻōlelo Pelekāne?
Do you speak Hawaiian? ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi ʻoe?
Yes, a little
(reply to 'Do you speak ...?')
ʻAe, ʻano (Yes, a little)
ʻAe, ʻano hiki iaʻu ke ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi
(Yes, I speak a little Haiwaiian)
Do you speak a language
other than
Hawaiian?
Speak to me in Hawaiian E walaʻau mai iaʻu ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi
How do you say ... in Hawaiian? Pehea ʻoe i ʻōlelo ai ... ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi?
Excuse me E kala mai iaʻu!
How much is this? ʻEhia kēia?
Sorry E kala mai iaʻu!
Please E ʻoluʻolu ...
... ke ʻoluʻolu (used at the end of a phrase)
Thank you Mahalo
Mahalo nui
Mahalo iā ʻoe
Mahalo nui loa
Reply to thank you ʻAʻole pilikia (No problem)
Noʻu ka hauʻoli (The pleasure is mine)
Where's the toilet / bathroom? Aia i hea i ka lua?
I miss you
I love you Aloha Au Ia ʻOe
Aloha No Au Ia ʻOe
Get well soon E ola
Go away!
Leave me alone!
Help! Kōkua!
Kōkua mai!
Hōlina!
Fire! Ahi!
Stop! Hoʻopau!
Hoʻokū!
Call the police!
Christmas greetings Mele Kalikimaka
New Year greetings Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou
Easter greetings Hauʻoli Pakoa
Hauʻoli Ka lā i ala hou ai ka Haku
Birthday greetings Hauʻoli lā hānau
Congratulations! Hoʻomaikaʻi!
One language is never enough ʻAʻole nō e lawa ka mākaukau ma hoʻokahi wale nō ʻōlelo
My hovercraft is full of eels Pihaʻū oʻu mokukauaheahe i nā puhi

Recordings by Naea Stevens, and translations and corrections by Samuel M. ‘Ohukani‘ohi‘a Gon III, CJ Maglinti, Lei Mahi and Moshe Ash

Download the audio files (Zip format, 573K)

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Information about Hawaiian | Phrases | Numbers | Family words | Tower of Babel |

Links

Collections of Hawaiian phrases (some with audio)
https://www.hawaiian-words.com/common/
https://www.gohawaii.com/hawaiian-culture/hawaiian-language-guide
https://milepro.com/hawaiian-words-phrases-greetings/

Phrases in Polynesian languages

Hawaiian, Māori, Niuean, Rapa Nui, Samoan, Tahitian, Tokelauan, Tongan, Tuvaluan

Phrases in other languages

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