‘Aha Pūnana Leo: Learn Hawaiian

Short Phrases

The following are phrases that can be used on a daily basis and on special occasions. Click on the Hawaiian word to hear it spoken in Hawaiian.

Greetings
HAWAIIAN	ENGLISH
Aloha e Kalei.	Hello Kalei.
Aloha kāua.	Hello. (formal, said to one person)
Aloha kākou.	Hello. (formal, said to more than one person)
Pehea ‘oe?	How are you? (said to one person)
Pehea ‘olua?	How are you? (said to two persons)
Pehea ‘oukou?	How are you? (said to more than three persons)
Maika‘i nō.	Fine.
‘O ia mau nō.	Same as usual.
‘O wai kou inoa?	What is your name?
‘O Kalei ko‘u inoa.	My name is Kalei.

Pleasantries
HAWAIIAN	ENGLISH
‘Ae.	Yes.
‘A‘ole.	No.
Mahalo.	Thank you.
‘A‘ole pilikia.	No problem. (one of many answers to mahalo)
A hui hou.	See you later.
‘A‘ole maopopo.	I don't know.
Maika‘i loa.	Very good.
Auē!	Oops! Oh no! Oh boy! Oh! Wow!
E ‘olu‘olu ‘oe.	Please. (said at the beginning of a sentence)
...ke ‘olu‘olu ‘oe.	…please. (said at the end of a sentence)

Questions
HAWAIIAN	ENGLISH
He aha kēia?	What is this?
He aha kēnā?	What is that near you?
He aha kēlā?	What is that away from you?
He aha kāu hana?	What are you doing? (said to one person)
He aha kā ‘olua hana?	What are you doing? (said to two persons)
He aha kā ‘oukou hana?	What are you doing? (said to more than two persons)
He aha ka mea hou?	What's new?
He aha kou pilikia?	What's wrong with you? (said to one person)
He aha kou mana‘o?	What do you think? (said to one person)
He aha kou makemake?	What do you want? (said to one person)
Aia i hea ‘o Kalei?	Where is Kalei?
Aia i hea ke kalipa?	Where is the slipper?
No hea ‘oe?	Where are you from?
No Hawai‘i au.	I am from Hawai‘i.
No ke aha?	Why?

Short Responses
HAWAIIAN	ENGLISH
Hiki nō!	O.K.! Can do!
Hō ka nani!	How pretty!
Kū ka paila.	Wow there's a lot.
Ei‘a.	Here it is. Look at this. Take this.
‘O wau kekahi.	Me too.
Pehea lā?	Well who knows?
‘O ia kā.	You don't say.
‘O ia ho‘i.	I should say. That's for sure.
‘O ia paha.	Yeah. I think so. That's probably it.
‘A‘ole paha.	I don't think so. Not.
Pēlā paha.	Maybe so. It could be.
‘ē.	Hey.
‘A‘ole loa‘a ia‘u.	I don't have it.
Aloha nō.	Too bad. Poor thing.
Ola.	Gesundheit.
I mua!	Forward!
Uihā!	Yeah!
Ua like pū.	It's the same.
Hana hou.	Do it again.
‘A‘ole au makemake.	I don't want to. I don't like it.

Commands
HAWAIIAN	ENGLISH
E ‘ai kāua.	Let's eat. (you and I)
E ‘ai kākou.	Let's eat. (more than two persons involved)
E ‘ai mālie	Eat slowly.
E hele ‘oe.	Go. (said to one person)
E hele mai.	Come here.
E komo mai.	Come inside.
E noho i lalo.	Sit down.
E noho mālie.	Be good. Stay or sit calmly.
E hana mālie.	Take your time and do a good job.
E holoi lima.	Wash your hands.
E palaki niho.	Brush your teeth.
E hō‘ā i ke kukui.	Turn on the light.
E ho‘opio i ke kukui.	Turn off the light.
E komo lole.	Put on your clothes on.
E pani i ka puka.	Close the door.
E ho‘i e hiamoe.	Go to bed.
Mai hana pēlā.	Don't do that.
Hāmau.	Hush.
Kōkua aku.	Help him/her/them.
Kōkua mai.	Help me/us.
E kala mai.	Excuse me/us.
E kali mai.	Wait for me/us.
Mālama pono.	Take care.