![]() Miscellaneous Hawaii Pidgin SlangĪloha shirt – Also known as a “Hawaiian shirt” on the U.S. Opala (oh-PAH-lah) – Garbage, trash, litter. Mahu (MAH-hoo) – Homosexual or transgendered (not derogatory).įadda (FAH-dah) – Father lei (LAY) – Necklace made of flowers, shells, feathers, leaves, or kukui nuts. Vog – smog or volcanic fog Items and Words for Specific Things Imu (EE-moo) – Underground oven or roasting pit.Īina (EYE-nah) – Land, especially homeland. (Note: Kama’aina discounts apply to any resident of Hawaii, regardless of how long they’ve lived here.) Food and Drink Kama’aina (KAH-mah-EYE-nah) – “Person of the land.” Long-time resident. Sole (SO-leh) – A person of Samoan descent. Manong (MAH-nong) – A person of Filipino descent (see also buk buk). ![]() Potagee (POH-tah-gee) – A person of Portuguese descent. Kanaka (kah-NAH-kah) – A person of Native Hawaiian descent. Kumu (KOO-moo) – Teacher (as in kumu hula). Popolo – A dark-skinned person of African descent. A respectful way to address such a woman: Can I help you carry that, auntie? Complimentary and DerogatoryĪkamai (AH-kah-MY) – Smart, clever, wise, witty, skilled.īumbai (bum-BYE) – Short for “by and by.” Otherwise, or else, eventually: You bettah study bumbai you flunk da test tomorrow.īroke da mouth (broke dah mowt) – Extremely delicious: Dis Potagee soup broke da mouth, auntie!īuss you up or all buss up – To fight and win, or hang one on drinking.Ĭhang – Miserly, overly frugal: C’mon, gimme some more, brah - you so chang! Ethnicity and Nationality-RelatedĪli’i (ah-LEE-ee) – In Native Hawaiian history, someone of inherited nobility (the highest social class).īorinkee – A person of Puerto Rican descent.īuk buk (book book) – A person of Filipino descent (see also manong). mainland, during which employees are allowed to dress more casually or in aloha wear, in anticipation of the weekend.Īuntie – A respectful term for a woman who is of your parents’ generation or older: The aunties have volunteered at the school for many years. ‘k den – An expression of farewell, equivalent to “OK, then - goodbye.” Culture and History-Related Hawaii PidginĪloha Fridays – Similar to “casual Fridays” on the U.S. Aloha! Common Greetings & GoodbyesĮ kala mai (EH KAH-lah MY) – Excuse me, sorry.Į komo mai (eh COH-mo MY) – Welcome, come inside. Start practicing before your trip to Hawaii, and get ready to impress the locals with your newfound knowledge. From greetings and goodbyes to food and drink, there’s a wide range of Hawaiian slang phrases to learn. These phrases are used daily by locals, and knowing them will help you communicate and connect with people on a deeper level. Understanding Hawaiian Pidgin Slang is an important part of immersing yourself in Hawaiian culture. More Hawaiian Pidgin Slang Words and Phrases ![]() ‘Ohana (OH-hah-nah) – ‘Ohana means family and like most cultures plays a major role in Hawaiian life so you’ll likely hear this Hawaii Pidgin Phrase! Kapu (KAH-poo) – Forbidden, taboo, keep out. Kahuna (kah-HOO-nah) – A priest or expert. Howzit – A greeting, equivalent to “How are you?” or “How is it going?” Someone of mixed racial or ethnic heritage, especially involving Asian or Pacific Islander heritage. Hapa (HAH-pah) – Part, half (for example, hapa haole). Modern meaning: Caucasian (not deragatory). Haole (HOW-leh) – Traditional meaning: Foreigner. A casual, friendly way of addressing a male: Eh, brah - you wanna go surf?ĭa kine – A catch-all phrase that is often used to fill in a mental blank when talking, similar to “whatchamacallit”: Let’s go to da kine place we grind at last week. You’ll here these words daily and will understand a lot more if you know these words!Īloha – Absolutely the most popular Hawaiian word that any foreigner is bound to have heard before! It means both hello AND goodbye.īrah – Short for braddah or bruddah (“brother”). This is a short list of those words that are a MUST-HAVE if you are planning to visit or move to Hawaii. In this post, we’ll go highlight the most useful Hawaiian Pidgin Slang words and phrases so when you arrive you’re fully prepared to meet some kanaka’s (kah-NAH-kah) or Hawaiian People and jump right into Hawaiian culture. Are you planning a visit to Hawaii, or are you just interested in learning about the local culture? Either way, understanding Hawaii Pidgin Slang can be helpful. ![]()
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