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Hawaii Culture > Hawaiian Language and Alphabet

Hawaiian was not written down until missionaries developed a 12-letter alphabet. Islanders were discouraged from speaking Hawaiian in public so it survived primarily through music. Today, Hawaiian is more appreciated and taught in schools. Consult a Hawaiian dictionary for more information.

There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet: A, E, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, U and W. And 18 sounds a, e, i, o, u, ä, ë, ï, ö, ü, h, k, l, m, n, p, w, and w with a v sound.
During your trip to Hawaii, you might come across some of the following Hawaiian words. Learn more about this melodic language, Hawaii heritage, culture and traditions http://hawaiianlanguage.com

A
aina - land, earth
a'a - sharp lava
ali'i - Hawaiian royalty
akamai - smart, intelligent
aloha - greeting to say hello or goodbye. Aloha can also mean love.
H
halau - hula troupe
hale - house or home
hana - work, bay
haole - foreigner, Caucasian
heiau - ancient Hawaiian religious temple
hoku - star
holoholo - to walk or travel for fun
honu - turtle
hula - Hawaiian form of communication using dance
Humuhumunukunukuapua'a - Hawaiian state fish
I
imu - underground pit oven used for preparing the luau pig
K
kahiko - traditional, old, ancient
kahuna - Hawaiian priest
kama`aina - native-Hawaiian or long-time resident
kanaka - man, human
kane - man
kapu - forbidden, sacred
kupuna - respected elder
kupunakane - grandfather
kupunawahine - grandmother
kau kau - food
ku`uipo - sweetheart
L
lanai - porch, veranda
lani - heavenly
laulau - meat or fish wrapped in taro leaves and steamed in a ti leaf packet
lei - garland of flowers, leaves, nuts, or shells
lua - bathroom or toilet
luau - feast
M
mahalo - thank you
mahimahi - dolphin fish
maika`i - good
makahiki - ancient Hawaiian celebration held annually with sports and religious festivities
makai - towards the ocean
malihini - newcomer, visitor
mauka - towards the mountains
mauna - mountain
mele - song, sing
menehune - mythical small people who are rumored to have inhabited the Hawaiian islands before Polynesians
mu’umu’u - long and loose fitting dress
N & O
nai'a - dolphin (the mammal)
nani - beautiful, enjoyable
nene - endangered Hawaii native goose
ono - delicious
ohana - family
P
pahoehoe - smooth lava
pali - cliff
paniolo - cowboy
pau - done, completed
poi - pounded taro root
puka - hole
pua - flower
pupu - appetizer, snack
U & W
ukulele - stringed instrument, small guitar
wahine - woman
wai - fresh water
wikiwiki - quick, fast

The deeper meaning of mahalo and aloha

Aloha & Mahalo
[Pronounced: ah loh' hah & mah hah' loh]

If you learn just two words in Hawaiian, learn these. They are two of the most important words in the Hawaiian language, representing paramount Hawaiian values. In Hawaiian thinking, words have mana [pronounced: mah' nah], meaning spiritual or divine power], and aloha and mahalo are among the most sacred and powerful. Say them often as they can be life-transforming and -enhancing. Be careful to use them ONLY if you truly feel mahalo or aloha within. Do not exploit these words for personal gain, and neither cheapen, nor trivialize their use by verbalizing them carelessly or without sincerity. Aloha and mahalo are ineffable, indescribable, and undefinable with words alone; to be understood, they must be experienced. Deeper meaning and sacredness is hinted at by the root words of these words. Linguists differ in their opinions as to the exact meanings and origins, but this is what kupunas (elder) say about the two words:
On a spiritual level, aloha is an invocation of the Divine and mahalo is a Divine blessing. Both are acknowledgments of the Divinity that dwells within and without.
Aloha
[Alo = presence, front, face] + [hâ = breath]
"The presence of (Divine) Breath."
Mahalo
[Ma = In] + [hâ = breath] + [alo = presence, front, face]
"(May you be) in (Divine) Breath."
Think of them as single-word blessings or prayers.

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