Pidgin, the language of the islands
What is Hawaiian pidgin? If you’ve never been to Hawaii before, your ears might perk up when you overhear locals speaking at a bbq at the beach. It sounds familiar to you, but you have no idea what they’re saying. That, is Hawaiian Pidgin.
Hawaiian Pidgin, like other pidgin or creole languages, is a mixture of the pieces of several different languages that have been brought together to form a new language. It’s roots are on the sugarcane plantations of 19th century Hawaii where Hawaiian, Portuguese, English, Cantonese, Japanese and other speakers intermingled and birthed this new language.
Check out the video to see it in action and farther below or common words & phrases and their translations.
Check out this video for Pidgin in action
Definitions & Translations
Akamai: AH·kuh·my
Definition: Smart
Sentence: “That boy is akamai, he know everyting”
Aloha: AH·lo·HA
Definition: Aloha has many uses in the Hawaiian language. It’s used when both greeting and parting with someone, but also has a more wide-ranging meaning. The word is also used to mean love, fellowship and general spirit of kindness that emanates from the islands.
Sentence: “Spread da aloha braddah!”
‘Aina: ai·na
Definition: Aina is the word for land in Hawaiian. Sometimes with spiritual connotations
Sentence: “Protect da ‘aina!”
Aunty
Definition: An older woman. No need to be blood family.
Bakatare: bak·a·ta·re
Definition: Crazy. Stupid. Cuckoo.
Sentence: “Dat braddah is bakatare!”
Bento: ben·to
Definition: Box lunch, plate lunch. Often some mixture of katsu chicken, BBQ pork or Kalbi beef with white rice and possibly a few other sides like mac salad.
Brah, Braddah: ben·to
Definition: Brother, friend. Or just a term to address a stranger with.
Broke da mouth: ben·to
Definition: Very delicious food
Sentence: “Da ribs ovah there bra? Broke da mouth!”
Bumbai: bum·BYE
Definition: Later. Or else.
Buggah: BUG·ah
Definition: Guy, friend. Or alternatively an annoying person, a pest.
Can / No Can
Definition: Used in the affirmative and negative respectively. Can be used in many ways.
Sentence: “Eh braddah, we cruizin’ tonight?”
“No can”
Cherry
Definition: Of high quality.
Sentence: “Dat ride is cherry”
Choke
Definition: A lot. Plentiful.
Sentence: “Got choke drinks ready for tonight brah.”
Cockaroach: KA·ka·roach
Definition: To steal.
Da
Definition: The
Da Kine: da KINE
Definition: The thing. Anything.
Sentence: “You know da kine!”
Dat
Definition: That
Garans: GAYR·unz
Definition: Guaranteed
Grindz: grines
Definition: Food
Hana Hou: ha·na HO
Definition: Encore. One more time. Yell it at a concert.
Sentence: “Hana hou! Hana hou! Hana hou!”
Haole: HOW·lee
Definition: Someone of Caucasian descent.
Sentence: “There’s always choke haoles in Waiks.”
Hawaiian Time, Island Time
Definition: An excuse when someone’s late. They’re on Hawaiian time.
Sentence: “Where’s Steve at, he was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago”
“He’s on Hawaiian time”
High Maka Maka
Definition: Stuck up. Pretentious.
Sentence: “Dat girl ova there tink she all dat, she high maka maka brah.”
Howzit: HOW·zit
Definition: A greeting.
Sentence: “Howzit brah.”
Juice
Definition: 1. Rigged
2. Big surf
Kama’aina: ka·ma·AYE·na
Definition: Traditionally means Native Hawaiians, literally translates to “people of the land”. Now can refer to any resident that has been living in Hawaii for a while. Many stores and hotels will give “Kama’aina discounts” to locals.
Like beef?
Definition: Wanna fight?
Mahalo: ma·HA·lo
Definition: Thank you
Makai: ma·KAI
Definition: Towards the ocean. Used in directions.
Mauka: MAU·ka
Definition: Towards the mountains. Used in directions
Cockaroach: KA·ka·roach
Definition: To steal.
Sentence: “Da ribs ovah there bra? Broke da mouth!”
Moke
Definition: Local boy. Will have an advanced understanding of pidgin.
Mo’ bettah: mo BEH·dah
Definition: Better
Okole: oh·KO·leh
Definition: Butt
One
Definition: Used like mainlanders use “a”.
Sentence: “Can get one ride fo work brah?”
Ono: OH·no
Definition: To steal.
Sentence: “Da ribs ovah there bra? Broke da mouth!”
Pakalolo: pah·ka·LO·lo
Definition: The bud. The ganja. The trees. The green. The sticky icky. Weed.
Sentence: “We smokin’ pakalolo on the beach”
Pau: pow
Definition: Done
Sentence: “Are you finished yet?”
“I’m pau.”
Pau Hana: pow HA·na
Definition: Done with work. Often used to describe after work drinks.
Sentence: “Eh, I pau hana across at da bar.”
Puka: POO·kah
Definition: Hole. Could be through a rock, or a donut. Just a hole
Sentence: “Throw that football through the puka you win a prize.”
Pupus: POO·pooz
Definition: Appetizers
Sentence: “Uncle Brian’s has great drinks and pupus.”
Scrap
Definition: To fight.
Sentence: “You want scrap, brah?
Shaka: SHA·ka
Definition: 1. Hand gesture used commonly in Hawaii. Make a fist, stick your thumb and pinky out and shake it.
2. Good
Shoyu: SHOY·yu
Definition: Soy sauce
Slippahs: SLIP·ahs
Definition: Sandals. Flip flops.
Stink Eye
Definition: Dirty look.
Talk Stink
Definition: Talk shit.
Talk Story
Definition: Converse. Gossip. Chat. A Hawaiian pastime.
Tita: TIT·ah
Definition: Female moke.
Town
Definition: Used to reference Honolulu.
Unko
Definition: To steal.
Sentence: An older man. No need to be blood family.
Wahine: wa·HE·nay
Definition: Woman
