To take a pleasurable stroll or to wander without a purpose. If you’re trying to get someone’s attention, a short “ho” will do the trick. “Sorry Kainoa, I’m gonna be a bit late to dinner, I’m on Hawaiian time right now.” If you’re running late, or just aren’t in a rush to get to something or do something, you’re on Hawaiian time. “Didn’t you know Dillyn is hapa? She’s Japanese and Caucasian.” Half, usually used to denote that someone is of two ethnicities. “I loved those red Otter Pops from my hanabata days.” When someone or something is very disorganized, not put together or messy.Ī term used to ask for “one more!” Typically will be shouted by a crowd of a music act to encourage the artist to perform an encore. “I surfed so long yesterday, I was grinding on some ono grindz.” Photo: Getty Images It can also be spelled with a “z” for unknown reasons. “We gonna hit the beach this Thursday-Sandy’s of course-with a six pack of green bottles if you wanna come?” Specifically used to refer to Heinekens, the preferred beer of quite a few locals in Hawaiʻi. “Tati did you just fut? Brah it stinks so bad.” “Shoot, you remember where I put da kine? It was right by da kine when I left for da kine.” For real, my aunty heard it from her daughter’s best friend’s boyfriend!”Ī catch-all term to denote literally anything you can’t remember the name of. “I heard on the coconut wireless that Sabrina just got engage to Rubio. It’s so strong we’ve begun calling it the “coconut wireless.” Local word-of-mouth is strong, especially in smaller communities. “I went to Costco last Sunday and had choke cars in the parking lot.” “Rebel Souljahz set was so good! Chee-hoo!” The longer you can draw out the “chee” and “hoo” phase of the word, the better. “Aunty Thelma’s banana lumpia was so good brah, broke da mouth.”Īn extremely local expression of excitement or happiness. When something you’ve eaten is so good, that your mouth is left in a state of disbelief and can be considered “broken.” “Hey brah, you left your wallet at 7-11!” Photo: Getty Images “You better pick up your slippahs bumbai you’ll get scolded.”Īn endearing way to call out to a young to middle-aged man. Pidgin phrase that typically means “or else.” “Hey aunty how are you doing? Is unko Silva still working at Pearl Harbor?” You donʻt have to be blood related at all to be-or call someone-an aunty or unko. Itʻs not uncommon for kamaʻāina to call men and women older than them “aunty” or “unko”-a local version of uncle that omits the “le” sound. “Please pick up your trash to care for our ʻāina.”Ī local way of saying “alright,” residents of Hawaiʻi use aurite as a more excited way of agreeing with something or for confirmation. The Hawaiian word for land, locals will often refer to the island youʻre on as the “ʻāina.” Itʻs also what we call the spirit of generosity and giving found here in Hawaiʻi, hence the term “aloha spirit.”
So donʻt fret, and check out the collection of words and terms weʻve put together that will get you through your trip without anything important being missed in translation.Īloha is a funny one since it has so many definitions-it can mean hello and goodbye. “Shoots,” “slippahs” and “kapu” probably arenʻt in your day-to-day vernacular, and it can all seem like a lot when you first arrive in Hawaiʻi. If itʻs your first time to the Islands, you may be a little thrown off by all of the local slang.
From “shoots” to “ʻono” and “hanabata days,” here are the pidgin phrases and words you should know before you next trip to Hawaiʻi.
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