20+ Essential Hawaiian Pidgin Phrases Every Traveler Should Know

Table Of Content I. Hawaiian Pidgin Phrases for Greetings and Everyday Slang II. Hawaiian Pidgin Phrases for Food and Dining (Grindz) III. Hawaiian Pidgin Phrases for People and Titles IV. Hawaiian Pidgin Phrases for Island Life and Directions V. Conclusion

When you step off the plane in Honolulu, you will immediately notice a vibrant, rhythmic way of speaking among the locals. This is Hawaiian Creole English, affectionately known simply as "Pidgin." Born from Hawaii's diverse plantation history, Pidgin is a colorful linguistic melting pot of English, Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, and Portuguese. If you want to navigate the islands with confidence, mastering a few essential hawaiian pidgin phrases is a must. Instead of a massive list of confusing terms, we have curated a detailed dictionary of the absolute most important slang words you need to know, categorized by topic, complete with examples and pronunciation guides.

Hawaiian Pidgin Phrases for Greetings and Everyday Slang

Howzit

What does howzit mean? This is the ultimate local greeting in Hawaii. It is a rapid, friendly contraction of "How is it going?"
Example: "Mark! Howzit? Neva see you long time."
How do you pronounce howzit? HOW-zit

Howzit

Da Kine

What does da kine mean? It is a universal placeholder phrase used whenever you cannot remember a specific word. It can be used as a noun, adjective, or verb.
Example: "I saw Da Kine at Costco yesterday."
How do you pronounce da kine? da-KIND (but drop the 'd')

Da Kine

Shoots

What does shoots mean? This is a super popular and enthusiastic Pidgin word meaning "Yeah!", "Okay!", or "I agree."
Example: "You like go to the beach later?" "Shoots!"
How do you pronounce shoots? Exactly like the English word "shoots."

Shoots

Shaka

What is a shaka? The shaka is the iconic Hawaiian hand gesture (thumb and pinky extended). It is not spoken, but used physically to signify "thanks," "right on," or "chill out."
Example: Giving a shaka to a driver who lets you merge into their lane.
How do you pronounce shaka? SHAH-kah

Shaka

Pau

What does pau mean? Pau is the Hawaiian word for finished, all done, or the end.
Example: "No need more food, Aunty. I'm all pau."
How do you pronounce pau? POW

Pau

Pau Hana

What does pau hana mean? Literally translating to "after work," it is the Hawaiian equivalent of happy hour or clocking out for the day.
Example: "It's 5:00 PM! Time for some pau hana drinks."
How do you pronounce pau hana? POW HAH-nah

Pau Hana

Choke

What does choke mean? In Hawaiian Pidgin, choke means to have a lot or an abundance of something.
Example: "Did you catch any fish today?" "Oh yeah, choke, brah."
How do you pronounce choke? Exactly like the English word.

Try

What does try mean in Hawaii? "Try" is the local, polite way of saying "can you please?" or asking someone to do something.
Example: "Try move, ya? We are waiting in line."
How do you pronounce try? Like the English word.

Ya?

Why does every sentence end in ya? In Hawaii, people often end sentences with "ya?" as a quick way to seek agreement, similar to saying "isn't it?" or "right?"
Example: "These malasadas are so ono, ya?"
How do you pronounce ya? YAH

Ya?

Hawaiian Pidgin Phrases for Food and Dining (Grindz)

Grindz

What does grindz mean? Grindz is Hawaiian slang for delicious food or a great meal.
Example: "We going to uncle's house tonight. He making choke good grindz."
How do you pronounce grindz? GRINDS

Grindz

Ono

What does ono mean? Ono is the Hawaiian word for delicious or tasty.
Example: "Sistah, this poke bowl is so ono!"
How do you pronounce ono? OH-no

Ono

Broke da Mouth

What does broke da mouth mean? This is a highly complimentary phrase used when food tastes so incredibly good that it metaphorically hurts your mouth.
Example: "How's the spicy ahi?" "So good! Broke da mouth."
How do you pronounce it? Broke dah mouth.

Kanak Attack

What does kanak attack mean? This phrase refers to the heavy, sleepy feeling (a food coma) you get after eating a massive, delicious meal.
Example: "Too much good grindz. Getting one big kanak attack."
How do you pronounce it? kah-NACK ah-TACK

Imu

What is an imu? An imu is a traditional Hawaiian barbecue pit or underground earth oven. It is frequently used to slow-roast kalua pig for a luau.
Example: "Da pig stay ready? Imu stay hot."
How do you pronounce imu? EE-moo

Imu

Hawaiian Pidgin Phrases for People and Titles

Brah / Braddah

What does brah mean? Short for brother. It is a universal, friendly term used to address a male friend or stranger.
Example: "Ho brah, how's the surf today?"
How do you pronounce brah? BRAH

Brah, Braddah

Keiki

What does keiki mean? Keiki is the Hawaiian word for children or kids. You will frequently see this on restaurant menus.
Example: "Does this place have a good keiki menu?"
How do you pronounce keiki? KAY-kee

Keiki

Haole

What does haole mean? A Caucasian or White person, or a foreigner. It can simply be a descriptor, but its meaning depends heavily on the speaker's tone.
Example: "When I moved to the mainland, I made a lot of haole friends."
How do you pronounce haole? HOW-lee

Hawaiian Pidgin Phrases for Island Life and Directions

Mauka

What does mauka mean? Mauka is a directional word used to indicate "towards the mountains." Locals use landmarks rather than North or South.
Example: "To find the trailhead, just keep heading mauka."
How do you pronounce mauka? MOW-kah

Mauka

Makai

What does makai mean? The opposite of mauka, makai means direction "towards the ocean."
Example: "The restaurant is on the makai side of the highway."
How do you pronounce makai? mah-KIGH

Makai

Slippahs

What are slippahs? In Hawaii, you never call them flip-flops or sandals. They are always called slippahs, and they are worn everywhere.
Example: "Who went steal my slippahs? I left them by the door."
How do you pronounce slippahs? SLIP-pahs

Slippahs

Conclusion

Learning a few key hawaiian pidgin phrases does more than just help you order a plate lunch; it shows a genuine respect for the people, the melting-pot history, and the laid-back lifestyle of the islands. The next time you visit, do not be afraid to throw a friendly "Howzit" or an enthusiastic "Shoots" into your conversations. It will undoubtedly earn you a smile and a warmer welcome.

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