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Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials in Hawaiian
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Hawaiian words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Hawaiian phrases in this lesson
- ʻAeAH-eh
- Yes
- ʻAʻoleah-OH-leh
- No
- Maikaʻimai-KAH-ee
- Okay
- ʻAʻole maopopo iaʻuah-OH-leh mah-oh-POH-poh ee-AH-oo
- I don't understand
- ʻŌlelo Pelekānia ʻoe?OH-leh-loh peh-leh-KAH-nee-ah OH-eh
- Do you speak English?
- E ʻōlelo hou maieh OH-leh-loh HOH mai
- Can you repeat that?
- E ʻōlelo mālieeh OH-leh-loh mah-LEE-eh
- Slowly, please
- He aha kēia?heh AH-hah KAY-ah
- What is this?
- Pono au i...POH-noh OW ee
- I need...
- Hiki iā ʻoe ke kōkua mai iaʻu?HEE-kee ee-AH OH-eh keh koh-KOO-ah mai ee-AH-oo
- Can you help me?
Literally "good".
Literally "it is not clear to me".
Everyone in Hawaiʻi speaks English; Hawaiian is spoken by a growing community of learners and native speakers.
Literally "say it again to me".
Literally "speak calmly".
Pono means right and proper, and also needed.
Kōkua, help, is a core island value.