Hawaiian & Pidgin Words and Phrases

The Hawaiian Islands are populated by a true melting pot of races. The language of Hawaii reflects the racial diversity of the islands and consists of a playful blend of Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese and English.

English

Towards the ocean

Towards the mountain

How are you?

A very close friend of the family

Pregnant

He is or She is

Man

Woman

The

Kind

The best

Better

Where are you going tonight?

Did not see it right; read the wrong thing

Stink

Let's go to ___

Please stop, or Don't do that

All messed up

Thank you

Family

A big bully

Where are you?

What do you want?

Please don't laugh/tease

Cannot

Never

Crazy

African-American

Portuguese

Chinese

Filipino

Japanese

Caucasian

Part Caucasian

Gay

A local; a person that lives in Hawaii

Food

Tastes great

The land

Mountain; towards the mountains

Sea; towards the sea

Fish: Crevally

Goatfish

Milkfish

Chicken

Pig

Dog

Hawaiian or Pidgin

Makai

Mauka

Howzit brah? or, in Hawaiian, Pehea Oi?

"Hanai" as in Hanai Aunt or Hanai Uncle

"Hapai"

He stay  or She stay; as in "He stay at da zoo"

Kane (pronouced kah nay)

Wahine (pronounced wah hee nay)

da

kine

No ka oi or "da best"

Moa betta

Eh, wea you goin go tonight?

Makapi eye (pronouncma ka pee); as in "eh, you get makapi eye o wah?"

Kusai or kusai eye (dirty look)

Eh, we go ___; as in "Eh, we go beach"

Eh, no make like dat

Hamajang; as in "stay all Hamajang"

Mahalo (thanks) or Mahalo Nui Loa (Thank you very much)

Ohana

Mok (male) or Tita (female)

Wea you stay?

whatch you wan? or Whatch you wan do?

No make fun

No can

Neva

Pupuli

Popolo

Portugee

Pake

Bok bok (derogatory, pronounced book book)

Katong (derogatory)

Haole

Hapa Haole

Mahu

Kama'aina

Grinds, or in Hawaiian Kau Kau

Stay ono (or just Ono)

Aina

Mauna (mountain); Mauka (towards the mountain)

Kai (ocean); Makai (towards the ocean)

Ulua (big) or papio (small)

Weke (pronounced ve kee)

Awa

Moa

Pua"a

'ili'o