| A Hui Hou – Until we meet again | Kane – man |
| ‘Aina – land | Kahuna – priest, minister or expert any any profession |
| Ali’i – royalty | Kapuna – grandparent, elder, respected older person |
| Aloha – hello, goodbye, love | Keiki – child |
| Aloha nui loa – with very much love | Kokua - help |
| E Komo Mai – welcome | Kumu – teacher |
| Hale – house | Mahalo – thank you |
| Hana - work | Makua- parent |
| Hana Hou – encore, do it again, repeat, once more | Malihini – stranger, tourist, foreigner |
| Haole – white person, Caucasian | Mele Kalikimaka - Merry Christmas |
| Hapa - mixed race | No Ka Oi – the best, none better |
| Hau’oli Makahiki - Happy New Year | O’hana - family |
| Hau’oli La Hanau - Happy Birthday | Ono – delicious |
| Honu – sea turtle | Pau – done, finished, over with |
| Lana’i – porch, patio or balcony | Pau Hana – end of the work day, work is done, happy hour |
| Lei – necklace made of flowers, leaves, nuts and/or shells, used in welcoming or honoring people | Pupus – hor d’oevres, appetizers |
| Lokahi -unity | Tutu – grandparent |
| Luau – Hawaiian feast, party | Wahine - woman |
| Kai – the sea | Wikiwiki - speedy, quick |
| Kama’aina – (of the land) born & raised in Hawaii, having lived here a long time, a Hawaii resident | |
Many of these words are used as (or as parts of) place names, street names, housing developments, etc. Learn these and you will always know where you are going!
Aku – directional, away (from me)
Akau – North
Awaawa – valley
‘Aina – the earth or land (that feeds)
Ala – road or path, often used in street names, such as “Ala Moana”
Caldera – A geographic feature formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption (actually, not a Hawaiian word, comes from a Spanish word)
Ewa – used as a direction, to the West or Leeward side of the island of Oahu (i.e., toward Ewa Beach)
Haku’aina – landlord, landowner
Halau – school, meeting house
Hale – house or building
Hanauma – curved bay
Hawai’i – the 50th State of the US, comprised of a chain of 7 islands; also, the largest island of the Hawaiian island chain, also known as “the Big Island”
Helu – number
Hema – South
Hikina – East
Honolulu – the capital of and most populated city in the State of Hawaii, located on the island of Oahu
Iki – small
Kahakai - beach
Kahawai – stream
Kai - sea
Kailua (Town) – city on Oahu, meaning “two seas,” not to be confused with Kailua-Kona, the city named Kailua in the Kona region of the Big Island (Hawai’i).
Kama’aina – local person, native, resident of Hawai’i
Kaua’i – The Eastern-most island of the Hawaiian island chain, known as the Garden Isle
Koko – used as a direction, to the East or Windward side of the island of Oahu (i.e., toward the Kokohead Crater)
Komohana – West
Kona – Leeward
Ko’olau – Windward, the name of shield volcano that formed the Ko’olau Mountain Range on O’ahu
Lani – heaven
Lana’i – porch, balcony or veranda - one of the Hawaiian Islands
Lua – restroom; crater
Lumi kuke – kitchen
Makai – toward the sea
Makani – wind
Mauka – toward the mountains
Malahini – visitor, tourist, foreigner
Mauna – mountain
Moana – ocean
Moku - island
Nani – beautiful
Nui – big or large
‘Ohana – a separate living unit, attached to or on the property of another home, usually for extended family.
O’ahu – the State of Hawaii’s most populated island, known as the Gathering Place, second from the left in the Hawaiian island chain
Pa’a’aina – landholder
Pali – cliff or cliffs
Pohaku – rock
Pu’u – hill
Wai – fresh water, river
Wai’ele - waterfall
Wakea – sky
Ua – Rain