o-localhawaiian-m

Speak Hawaiian Like a Local

KA `ÔLELO HAWAI`I (HAWAIIAN):	KA `ÔLELO HAOLE (ENGLISH):	COMMENTS:
maha`oi [mah ha oi']	presumptuous, impertinent, bold	Said of someone who does not know his / her place in the scheme of things.
mahalo [mah hah' loh]	"thanks", gratitude
mahimahi [mah' hee mah' hee]	dolphin fish	Not to be confused with the mammalian dolphin (Flipper).
mâhû [MAH' HOO']	gay person of either sex
maika`i [mai kah' ee] Not: [mai kai]	fine, good, well	A useful affirmative reply.
maile [mai' leh] Not: [my lee]	fragrant vine with glossy leaves, used for lei making, often used for ceremonies and celebrations	Associated with the worship of the gods, particularly of Laka, the goddess of hula. Maile ranks with mangoes, malasadas and flowers for the best Hawai`i smells.
maka [mah' kah]	eye, face	Learn more of your body parts in Hawaiian.
ma kai [mah kai']	toward the sea	East-West-North-South directions are rarely used. Instead ma uka - ma kai, `Ewa- Diamond Head serve those on O`ahu well.
makapiapia [mah kah pee' (y)ah pee' (y)ah]	mucous discharge from the eyes
mâkaukau [MAH' kau kau]	ready, prepared; able, skilled	Often heard at hula exhibitions before a hula commences.
makahiki [mah kah hee' kee]	year	As in, Makahiki Festival.
make [mah' keh]	dead, killed; to die	As in, "Make, die, dead".
mâlama [MAH' lah mah]	to care for, protect, keep
Mâlama pono! [MAH' lah mah poh' noh]	Take care!	Often said when saying goodbye. Followed by, "A hui hou!"
malihini [mah lee hee' nee]	newcomer, stranger, visitor, tourist	Sincere requests of malihini: Do not ask us if we have been to the States; do not praise us with, "You speak English so well!" Mahalo. (BTW, until recent times, the Hawaiian language was forbidden by law )
malo [mah' loh]	loincloth	Learn more about Hawaiian apparel.
mana [mah' nah]	spiritual essence, power	Learn more about mana.
manini [mah nee' nee]	stingy, miserly, cheap; also, a common striped reef fish	The first meaning is from the transliterated name of Father Marin, a parsimonious (stingy) priest, who also made Hawai`i's first barrel of beer (and who maybe forgot the virture of sharing?) .
manuahi [mah noo ah' hee]	free, gratis, no charge	Learn more about Hawaiian gift-giving.
ma uka [mau' kah]	toward the upland; inland	See makai.
mauna [mau' nah]	mountain	As in, Mauna Kea (White Mountain) , Mauna Loa (Long Mountain) on the Big Island.
mea `ono pua`a [meh' (y)ah oh' noh poo (w)ah' ah]	Chinese pork-filled bun	Commonly called manapua.
mele [meh' leh]	song; to sing	Learn more about mele.
Mele Kalikimaka! [meh' leh kah lee kee mah' kah!]	Merry Christmas!
menehune [meh neh hoo' neh]	small people of yore	They built ponds, roads, heiau.
miko [mee' koh]	seasoned with salt	As in those plump, red Miko hotdogs from Hilo
mimi / mî [mee' mee], [MEE']	urine; to urinate	Urine was sprinkled to repel evil; if an infant urinated on someone, that person might adopt the child.
moana [moh (w)ah' nah]	open sea, ocean; campground	As in, Moana Hotel, Ala Moana.
moe [moe]	to sleep, lie down; bed
moloâ [moh loh (W)AH']	lazy, indolent
momona [moh moh' nah]	fat; sweet; fertile	Although this word means sweet, as in sugar, don't use this word to say someone is a sweet person, as it will be understood as someone who is fat.
mo`o [moh' oh]	lizard	Learn more animals in Hawaiian.
mu`umu`u [moo' oo moo' oo] Not: [moo moo]	dress with Hawaiian styling, less formal than the holokû	Seen most often on Fridays (Aloha Friday) and May Day festivities, lû`au and Hawaiian events.