Hawaiian Alphabets have different pronounciation from English Alphabets. Every letter has only one sound. Here is a tool to helping you learn the right pronounciation of each alphabet.

‘Ä as in was
‘Ë as in bet
‘Ï as in me
‘Ö as in go
‘Ü as in moon
Hë as in help
Kë as in ketchup
Lä as in locker
Mü as in moo
Nü as in new
Pï as in people
Wë as in vet
‘okina

Note:

• The 'okina is the single, open quote that appears frequently before vowels. It indicates a glottal stop, a clean break between vowels. Its pronounced like "oh-oh"

• The kahakö or macron is not found in ka pï‘äpä but is often used in the Hawaiian language. The kahakö is always found above a vowel. It stresses or elongates a vowel sound from one beat to two beats. The kahakö is written as a line above a vowel.

Numbers...(helu)Counting 1 to 100

1. 'ekahi
2. 'elua
3. 'ekolu
4. 'ehä
5. 'elima
6. 'eono
7. 'ehiku
8. 'ewalu
9. 'eiwa
10. 'umi
11. 'umikümäkahi (10 + 1)

Note:

• You can count from 1 to 100 by putting the numbers together with kümä and omitting the first letter of 1 thruough 10 e.g #21 above.

Pronouns...

This is a little bit complicated but its very easy so just pay attention to the difference and you will be good.

1st person singular/plural

au - I
Ko'u - my
Käua - between you and I (2 people)
Käkou - us (3 people)

2nd person singular/plural

'oe - you
kou - your
'olua - you (2 people)
'oukou- you (3 people)

3rd person singular/plural

mäua - they (2 people)
mäkou - them (3 people)

Simple words and phrases...

Aloha - Hello, love
kökua - help, cooperate
mau - lots of...
noho - chair, where you live
A hui hou! - goodbye
mauka - mountain
makai - ocean
pöhaku - rock
nui - large
pali - cliff
'Ka' or 'Ke' - The (Kinda like tha book and the book in English language. 'Ka' and 'Ke' are used in different context)
'ele'ele - black
maika'i - good
akä - but
'a'ole - no
'ae - yes
kolohe - rascal
Mele Kalikimaka - Merry Christmas
makahiki - year
hau'oli - happy
kaumaha - sad
hou - new, again
kumu - teacher
mäluhiluhi - tired
kulanui - university/college
hele - go
pau! - done or finish
këiä - this
këlä - that (for a far object)
kënä - that (for a nearer object)
akä - but
lä - day
'a'ole pilikia - you're welcome or literarily means 'no problem'

Forming simple sentences, questions and answers...

Q: "What is your name?" - 'O wai kou inoa?
A: "My name is Yetty" - 'O Yetty Ko'u inoa

Q: "How are you?" - Pehea 'oe?
A: "I'm good, but I'm tired this day" - Maika'i au, akä mäluhiluhi au këia lä (depending on how you feel on that day)

"I go to the University" - E hele au i ke Kulanui

if someone tells you "Mahalo" you could simple reply "'a'ole pilikia"

Christmas and New year is arround the corner, make sure you tell someone "Mele Kalikimaka" and "Hau'oli makahiki hou!"

Lets do an assignment! - "What does the following Question and answer translate to?"

Q: "he noho këlä?"
A: "Noho au i Honolulu."

Note:

• Some words may have more than one meaning which may or may not be on this site. If you are interested in learning the language, i think doing this assignment would help you because you would have to find out and in the process learn other words! Anyway, email your answer to me.

• Also, while the English language sentence format follows "subject-verb-object", many other languages does not follow that format. Olelo Hawai'i definitely doesn't. It follows "verb-subject-object" format.

Sing along with Lilo and Stitch

Here are the lyrics to two of the songs heard in Disney's movie "Lilo & Stitch."Source

'Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride'

Aloha e, aloha e,
Aloha e, aloha e,
'Ano 'ai ke aloha e
'Ano 'ai ke aloha e (repeat all).

Verse 1

There's no place I'd rather be
Than on my surfboard out at sea
Lingering in the ocean blue
And if I had one wish come true
I'd surf 'til the sun sets beyond the horizon
Awikiwiki, mai lohilohi
Lawe mai i ko papa he'e nalu
Flying by on a Hawaiian roller coaster ride.

Chant Chorus I

Awikiwiki, mai lohilohi
Lawe mai i ko papa he'e nalu
Pi'i na nalu, la lahalaha
O ka moana, hanupanupa
Lalala i ka la hanahana
Me ke kai hoene i ka pu'e one
Helehele mai kakou e
Hawaiian roller coaster ride.

Verse 2

There's no place I'd rather be
Than on the seashore dry, wet free
On golden sand is where I'd lay
And if I only had my way
I'd play 'til the sun sets beyond the horizon
Lalala i ka la hanahana
Me ke kai hoene i ka pu'e one
It's time to try the Hawaiian roller coaster ride.

Chant Chorus 2

Hang loose, hang ten, howzit, shake a shaka
No worry, no fear, ain't no biggie braddah
Cuttin' in, cuttin' up, cuttin' back, cuttin' out
Frontside, backside, goofy footed, wipe out
Let's get jumpin', surf's up and pumpin'
Coastin' with the motion of the ocean
Whirlpools swirling, cascading, twirling
Hawaiian roller coaster ride.

Verse 3

There's no place I'd rather be
Than on my surfboard out at sea
Lingering in the ocean blue
And if I had one wish come true
I'd surf 'til the sun sets beyond the horizon
Awikiwiki, mai lohilohi
Lawe mai i ko papa he'e nalu
Flying by on a Hawaiian roller coaster ride.

Chant Chorus 3

Awikiwiki, mai lohilohi
Lawe mai i ko papa he'e nalu
Pi'i na nalu, la lahalaha
O ka moana, hanupanupa
Lalala i ka la hanahana
Me ke kai hoene i ka pu'e one
Helehele mai kakou e
Hawaiian roller coaster ride

• • •

'He Mele No Lilo'

Vocal 1

Mahalo nui ia Ke Ali'i wahine
'O Lili'ulani 'O ka Wo hi ku
Ka pipio mai o ke anuenue
Na waiho'o lu'u a halikeole'e
E nana na maka i ke ao malama mai
Hawai'i akea i Kaua'i

Vocal 2

Ke Kuini o Hawai'i
Ku i ka moku i ke Kalaunu
Na hana a ke aloha Maalo
Ana i ka ua lana malie
I ka lani malama Hoike
Mai ana la I ka nani.

'O Kalakaua he inoa
'O Ka pua mae'ole i ka la
Ka pua maila i ka mauna
I ke kuahiwi o Mauna Kea
Ke'amaila i Kilauea

Malamalama i Wahine kapu.
A ka luna o Uwekahuna
I ka pali kapu o Kilauea
Ea mai ke ali'i kia manu
Ua wehi ka hulu o kamamo
Ka pua nani a'o Hawai'i
'O Kalakaua he inoa.

'O Kalakaua he inoa
'O Ka pua mae'ole i ka la
Ka pua maila i ka mauna
I ke kuahiwi o Mauna Kea
Ke'a mai la i Kilauea
Malamalama i Wahinekapu.

A ka luna o Uwekahuna
I ka pali kapu o Kilauea
Mahalo nui ia Ke Ali'i wahine
(Ke Kuini o Hawai'i)
'O Lili'ulani Wo ka 'O hi ku
(Ku i ka moku i ke Kalaunu)
Ea mai ke ali'i kia manu
Ua wehi i ka hulu o ka mamo
Ka pua nani a'o Hawai'i
'O Kalakaua he inoa.

He Inoa No Kalani Kalakaua Kulele.

		Jingle Bell song in Hawaiian
	Kani na pele Kani na pele Kani na wa apau Le`ale`a no ke kau `oe Ma ke ka`a holo hau Ha`ule mai ka hau A holo no lakou Maluna o na kula Me na leo hau`oli Kani mai na pele Hau`oli nui no Ka hele `ana i ka holo Hau keia po					Jingle bells Jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride In a one horse open sleigh Dashing through the snow In a one horse open sleigh Oe'r the fields we go Laughing all the way Bells on bobtail ring Making spirits bright What fun it is to ride and sing The sleighing song tonight

Coming soon...

• 12 days of xmas in Hawaiian!
  
• More Hawaiian words!
  
• Other languages: Hindi (from India), Spanish, German, French, Italian, Tagalo (from the philipines) and Yoruba (I get to teach some of you my language!) Return to Web Site