u (the Hawaiian letter u). See ‘ū.

udder. See ū.

ugly. See pupuka.

ukulele. See ‘ukulele.

umbrella. See māmalu.

uncle. See ‘anakala.
under. See lalo.
underground oven. See imu.
understand. See ‘ike / maopopo.
undertake. See ho‘ā‘o.
underworld. See Milu. Also see Hawai‘i.
undo. See wehe.
unforgetable. See poina ‘ole.
unfortunate. See pō‘ino.
unfurl. See wehe.
unicorn fish. See kala.
unimportant. See mea ‘ole.
uninteresting. See hoihoi ‘ole.
unite. See hui.
United States of America. See ‘Amelika Huipū.
unity. See lōkahi.
university. See kulanui.
unpleasant. See hoihoi ‘ole.
unprepared. See hemahema.
unpretentious. See ha‘aha‘a.
unripe. See maka.
unsheath. See wehe.
unskilled. See hemahema.
untie. See wehe.
until. See ā.
untouchable. See kauā.
unusual. See ‘ano ‘ē.

up. See luna.
upland. See uka.
upper. See luna.
upset. See pīhoihoi.
upward. See a‘e.

urinate. See mimi.
urine. See mimi.

us. See kāua (dual, inclusive) / kākou (3 or more, inclusive), māua (2, exclusive), mākou (3 or more, exclusive). For a chart of the Hawaiian personal pronouns, see palapala kuhikuhi o nā paniinoa pilikino.
used to. See ho‘oma‘ama‘a / ma‘a.
usual. See ma‘amau.

Utah. See Mauna Pōhaku (poetic name).

vagina. See kohe.
valley. See awāwa / kahawai. Also see Hana- / Hono- (these capitalized prefixes are used only in place names).
vanilla. See wanila.
vanished. See nalowale.
vanity. See ha‘aheo.
various. See like‘ole.
vast. See mānoa.
vault. See waihona.

vehicle. See ka‘a.
veranda. See lānai.
very. See loa / nō / wale.
very hot. See liholiho.
vessel (utensil). See ipu.
veteran. See koa kahiko.

vice (sin). See hala.
victory. See lanakila.
video. See wikiō.
village. See kūlanakauhale.
vinegar. See wīneka.
virtue. See hemolele.
visit. See kipa.
visitor. See malihini.
vitamin. See wikamina.

vog. See uauahi.
voice. See leo.
volcanic. See pele.
volcano. See lua pele / pele.
volcano goddess. See Pele.
vote. See koho.
vowel. See leokani / woela.

w (the Hawaiian letter w). See wē.
wages. See uku.
wagon. See ka‘a.
wahoo. See ono.
waiter. See kuene.
wait for. See kali.
waitress. See kuene.
walk. See hele / hele wāwae.
walk (to walk, as a person or dog). See ho‘ohele.
wallet. See ‘eke kālā.
wane. See emi.
want. See ake / makemake.
war. See kaua.
warehouse. The term is hale ahuwaiwai and for an explanation, see hale.
warm. See pumehana.
warm-hearted. See pumehana.
war party. See kaua.
warrent. See palapala.
wash. See holoi.
Washington. See Wakinekona.
waste. See ho‘opau.
waste time. See ho‘opaumanawa.
watch (look at). See nānā. Also, for watch intently, see kilo.
watch (time piece). See uaki.
watch intently. See kilo.
water (but not sea water). See wai. For sea water see kai.
water (irrigate). See hanawai.
waterfall. See wailele.
water barrel. See pahu wai.
water tank. See pahu wai.
wave (sea surf). See nalu.
wave (signal). See pe‘ahi.

we. See kāua (2, inclusive), kākou (3 or more, inclusive), māua (2, exclusive), mākou (3 or more, exclusive). For a chart of the Hawaiian personal pronouns, see palapala kuhikuhi o nā paniinoa pilikino.
wealth. See waiwai.
wealthy. See waiwai.
wearisome. See māluhiluhi.
weary. See māluhiluhi.
weave. See ulana.
web. See ‘upena.
wedding. See male.
Wednesday. See Pō‘akolu.
week. See pule.
weekend. See hopena pule.
weep. See uē / uwē.
weeping. See uē / uwē.
weiner. See na‘aukake.
weird. See ‘ano ‘ē.
welcome. See e komo mai.
well (condition). See maika‘i.
well being. See ola.
west. See komohana.
western. See komohana.
wet. See pulu.

whale. For specific kinds, see koholā / palaoa.
what (only in questions) See aha / hea / pehea.
whatchamacallit. See da kine (pidgin term, not Hawaiian).
whatsit. See da kine (pidgin term, not Hawaiian).
wheat. See palaoa.
wheel. See huila.
when (interrogative). See āhea (used in questions about the future) / ināhea (used only in past tense questions).
where (interrogative). See hea.
which (interrogative). See hea.
whiskers. See ‘umi‘umi.
whisper. See hāwana.
whispering. See hāwana.
white. See kea / ke‘oke‘o.
white person. See haole / ‘ilipuakea.
who (interrogative). See wai.
why. See aha.

wicked. See ‘ino.
wide. See ākea.
width. See ākea.
wife. See wahine.
wiliwili. See wiliwili.
wilt. See mae.
win. See lanakila.
wine. See waina.
wind. See makani.
wind (twist). See wili.
window. See puka aniani.
windward. See ko‘olau.
winter. See ho‘oilo.
wipe (wipe with a cloth). See kāwele.
wire. See uea.
wisdom. See na‘auao.
wise. See na‘auao / no‘eau.
wise saying. See ‘ōlelo no‘eau.
wish. See ake.
wit. See akamai.
with. See me.
wither. See mae.
without. See ‘ole.

woman. See wahine.
wood. See lā‘au.
word. See hua / hua ‘ōlelo / ‘ōlelo.
work. See hana.
worker. See limahana.
workshop. Two terms are hale hana and hale ‘oihana and for an explanation, see hale.
world. See ao / honua.
worldly. See pilikino.
World Wide Web. See Pūnaewele Puni Honua.
worn out. See māluhiluhi.
worried. See pīhoihoi.

wrapper. See wahī.
wrasse (a fish). See ‘a‘awa.
wreath. See lei.
write. See kākau / palapala.
writing (written document or letter). See palapala.
wrong. See hewa.

WWW. See Pūnaewele Puni Honua.

xerox (photocopy). See pepa kope.

yam. See uhi.
yard (grounds). See pā.
yard (36 inches). See iwilei.

year. See makahiki.
yearn. See ake.
yellow. See melemele.
yes. See ‘ae.
yesterday. See nehinei.

you. See ‘oe (one), ‘olua (2 people), ‘oukou (3 or more people). For a chart of the Hawaiian personal pronouns, see palapala kuhikuhi o nā paniinoa pilikino.
young. See ‘ōpiopio.
younger. See muli.
younger brother or sister. See hānau hope.
youngest. See muli.
youngest child in a family. See muli loa.
youngster. See ‘ōpiopio.
your. See kāu / kou.
You're welcome. See ‘A‘ole pilikia.
yours. See kāu.
youth. See ‘ōpiopio.
youthful beauty. See u‘i.

zero. See ‘ole.

zip code. See helu kuhi.

zoo. See kahua hō‘ike‘ike holoholona.

HOME • HAWAI‘I • ‘ŌLELO HAWAI‘I • POLITICS
THIS & THAT • EXTERNAL LINKS
WHAT'S NEW • CONTACT • FAQ