The Hawai'ian language is still alive and many words are used conversationally every day in Hawai'i. This small glossary helps to get you started by giving you a few of the more commonly used words, their meanings, and their pronunciations.

Here are a few of the basics: there are only 12 letters in the alphabet. There are five vowels: A, E, I, O, and U. There are seven consonants; H, K, L, M, N, P, and W. Most of us aren't used to seeing so many vowels used in words, often many in a row. Basically, you just pronounce all the vowels one by one.

'Aina (EYE-na) Land, earth
Ali'i (ah-LEE-ee) Chief, chiefess, or royalty
Aloha (ah-LOW-ha) Hello, good-by, or an expression of affection
Hale (hah-lay) House or building; often combined with other words to name a specific place such as Haleakala (House of the Sun)
Haole (HOW-leh) A white person; Caucasian
Heiau (hay-EE-ow) Pre-Christian shrine or place of worship
Hula (WHO-lah) The dance of Hawaii
Imu (EE-moo) An underground oven you will see at a luau
Kahuna (kah-WHO-na) A priest, minister, or an expert at any profession
Kai (kigh) The sea
Kama'aina (Kah-ma-EYE-na) Native born
Kane (KAH-knee) A man or boy
Kapu (KAH-poo) Sacred, taboo, forbidden, no trespassing
Keiki (KAY-key) Child, offspring, or children
Kokua (koh-KOO-ah) Help or give assistance
Lanai (lah-NIGH) A porch, patio, or balcony
Lei (lay) A necklace of flowers, leaves, shells, feathers, etc.
Lu'au (LEW-ow) Literally means young taro tops, but used for a Hawaiian feast
Mahalo (mah-HAH-low) Thanks, gratitude
Makai (mah-kigh) Ocean, used to mean "toward the ocean"
Malihini (mah-lee-HEE-knee) A stranger, foreigner, tourist, etc.
Mauka (MOW-ka [rhymes with how-ka]) Toward the mountains
Nui (NEW-ee) Big, large, great, or important
'Ohana (oh-HAH-nah) Family
'Opala (OH-pah-la) Trash, rubbish
Ono (OH-no) Delicious or tasty, and also a large mackerel type of fish
Pali (PAH-lee) Cliff, a steep hill or slope
Paniolo (paw-knee-OH-low) Hawaiian cowboy
Pau (pow) Finished, ended, all done
Piko (pee-koh) Belly button
Poi (poy, as in "boy") A paste made from pounded taro root
Pua (POO-ah) Flower; Also seen in combination words and names
Puka (Poo-kah) A hole of any size
Pupu (poo-poo) Snacks or appetizers
Wahine (wah-HEE-neh) Woman, lady
Wikiwiki (wee-kee-wee-kee) Fast or speedy

Useful Phrases:
A Hui Hou (Ah Hooee Ho) Until we meet again
Aloha ahiahi (Aloha ahee ahee) Good Evening
Aloha kakahiaka (ah-LO-hah kah-kah-heeAH-kah) Good morning
E hele mai 'ai (ey HEH-lay my EYE) Come eat
Hana Hou (Hana Ho) Encore; repeat
Pau hana (pow HAH-nah) Literally, "work finished;" Quitting time. Can also refer to what one imbibes at the local bar after a long day.