The Hawaiian alphabet contains
12 letters; seven consonants (H, K, L, M, N, P, and W) and five vowels (A, E, I,
O, and U). Every vowel should be pronounced. Here is a pronunciation guide.
a like a in above
e like ay in play
i like ee in see
o like o in sole
u like oo in moon
- yellow-fin tuna
- aikane
(ai-ka-nay)
- friend
- alaea
- red
water-soluble soil used for coloring salt, for medicine and as a dye
- aloha
(a-lo-ha)
- hello,
goodbye, love, and many others
- auwe
(a-oo-way)
- ouch
- awa
- native shrub
whose root was used to make a narcotic drink
- ewa
(ay-va)
- opposite
direction from Diamond Head
- haku
- to compose,
weave or arrange
- hala
- the pandanus
tree, whose leaves are plaited into mats, baskets and hats
- halau
- hula troupe
- hale
- house
- heiau
- ancient place
of worship
- humuhumunukunukuapuaa
(hoo-moo-hoo-moo-noo-coo-noo-coo-a-poo-a-a)
- a tropical
fish smaller than it's name
- ieie
- a woody
climbing plant that grows in the mountains. One of five plants placed
on the hula altar
- ilima
- native shrubs
bearing yellow, orange, greenish or dull-red flowers
- ipo
- sweetheart
- kalai
waa
- canoe carver
- Kalakaua
(ka-la-ka-oo-a)
- main street
of Waikiki, named after former king
- Kalanianaole
(ka-la-nee-a-na-o-lay)
- major highway
named for Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole
- kamani
- a large tree
with white, orange blossom-like flowers
- kane
(ka-nay)
- man
- Kapiolani
(ka-pee-o-la-nee)
- main Honolulu
boulevard named after a former queen
- keiki
(kay-ee-kee)
- baby, child
- kii
pohaku
- petroglyph
- kokua
(ko-koo-a)
- help
- kukui
- candlenut
tree, bearing nuts containing white oily kernels which were used for
lighting by ancient Hawaiians
- Likelike
(lee-kay-lee-kay)
- highway named
after former prince
- mahalo
(ma-ha-lo)
- thank you
- lomilomi
- to rub,
press, knead as in massage
- maile
- native
twining shrub with fragrant leaves
- makai
(ma-ka-ee)
- to the sea
- makamaka
(ma-ka-ma-ka)
- dear friend;
preceded by na -- dear friends
- malihini
(ma-lee-hee-nee)
- newcomer
- mana
- spiritual
power
- mano
- shark
- mauka
(ma-oo-ka)
- to the
mounain
- ohana
(o-ha-na)
- family
- ono
- large
mackerel-type fish; delicious, tasty, savory
- opakapaka
- blue snapper
- opihi
- limpet
- paakai
- salt
- pikake
- shrub with
small, white, very fragrant flowers (lilac)
- pali
(pa-lee)
- steep cliffs
- pau
(pa-oo)
- finished,
over
- pupu
(poo-poo)
- appetizer,
hors d'oeuvre
- ulu
- breadfruit
tree
- ulu
maika
- stone used in
playing the maika game (bowling)
- waa
kaulua
- double canoe
- wahine
(wa-hee-nay)
- woman
- Waimea
(wa-ee-may-a)
- Oahu North
Shore bay, Big Island town
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