Are you planning a trip to the Hawaiian islands soon? If so, you’ll probably want to know how to say thank you in Hawaiian. Learning a few words and phrases in the local language will go a long way towards making your trip more enjoyable.
Whether you’re staying with extended family, visiting as part of a tour group or just exploring the islands on your own, there are many opportunities to show your gratitude.
Even if it feels like second nature to other people, learning these words and phrases is not only polite but also shows that you value their help and company.
In shorts, to say “thank you” in Hawaiian, you can say “mahalo.”
Basics
As with any language, the first step towards learning how to say thank you in Hawaiian is understanding the basics. You’ll need to know how to pronounce the words, how to use them, and when to use them. Beyond that, it’s just practice and getting out there and speaking the language. For the basics, you’ll want to keep in mind:
- The Hawaiian language is written in the Latin alphabet, but it is not based on English. As such, you cannot simply learn Hawaiian by translating English words.
- Hawaiian is a Polynesian language, and as such, it has many similarities with other languages in the same family, such as Tahitian, Maori, and Samoan.
- Hawaiian is an endangered language, and it is estimated that less than one percent of the state’s population speaks the language. Most people are bilingual, meaning they are fluent in Hawaiian and English.
- Hawaiian has five vowels: a, e, i, o, and u. Hawaiian does not have any phonetic diphthongs, meaning its vowels do not glide into each other.
- Hawaiian has 12 consonants, including h, k, l, m, n, p, w, and the sounds of sh, ts, and hs.
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Saying “Thank You”
In Hawaiian, you can use Mahalo to say thank you. Mahalo can be used to thank people in general, or you can thank specific people by adding their names in front of the word.
For example, you can say Mahalo Ke Akua to say thank you to God or Mahalo Nani to thank your mother. If someone does something for you, you can say Mahalo for their assistance with no need for a name.
You can also use Mahalo with other words, such as Mahalo nui to say thank you very much, Mahalo keia to say thank you for this, Mahalo nae to say thank you to you, Mahalo ho’okomo to say thank you very much for your assistance, Mahalo ho’opa’a to say thank you for your assistance.
Thank You (for food)
Thank You (for food) You can say Mahalo nui loa for thank you very much or Mahalo for the meal. Others may say Mahalo nui loa loa for thank you very much very much.
Thank You (helping you)
If someone helps you with something, you can thank them by saying Mahalo. If there is something specific you want to acknowledge, you can say Mahalo ia ia ia, which means thank you for this and this. If there is something more general that you want to acknowledge, you can say Mahalo ia mai, which means thank you for this also.
Thank You (helping in general)
If someone helps you in a general sense, such as by giving advice or by teaching you something, you can thank them by saying Mahalo. If you want to be more specific, you can say Mahalo ia ia ia, which means thank you for this and this. If there is something more general that you want to acknowledge, you can say Mahalo ia mai, which means thank you for this also.
Conclusion
Learning to say thank you in Hawaiian is easy; the real challenge is getting out there and speaking the language. You don’t need to dive headfirst into a conversation with a fluent speaker; there are plenty of opportunities to practice Hawaiian in the tourist centers of the islands, such as the Polynesian Cultural Center and the Hawaiian Culture Center, where Hawaiian is the primary language. These simple phrases will go a long way towards making your trip more enjoyable, and you’ll be sure to make a great impression wherever you go. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start speaking Hawaiian!