Learn to Speak Hawaiian

Written by Jacob C. Herman

The Hawaiian language is a form of Polynesian language, and it was named after the island of Hawai’i, or Big Island. It is one of two official languages of the state of Hawaii, the other being English. As such, Hawaii is the only state in the US that has two official languages. The Hawaiian language has the same five vowels as English, but it only has seven consonants, a few of which are pronounced the same way as in English. Also, two symbols are used in Hawaiian writing that are not used in English, they are the glottal stop and the macron. It is not easy to find Hawaiian language schools and teachers in the US mainland, but there are many websites on the Internet that provide excellent information and tutorials for learning the language.

Hawaiian Pronunciation

• Hawaiian Pronunciation: Learn how to pronounce Hawaiian consonants and vowels from this web page.

• Hawaiian Alphabets: An article that discusses Hawaiian alphabets and their pronunciations.

• Hawaiian Language Basics: Alphabets, vowels, and proper pronunciation of Hawaiian language.

• Hawaiian Vowels: Audio presentation that shows the sounds of vowels of Hawaiian and other languages.

• Hawaiian Consonants and Vowels: Brief explanation of Hawaiian consonants and vowels, as well as list of Hawaiianized English names.

• Learning Hawaiian: Comprehensive tutorial on the basics of Hawaiian pronunciation.

• Hawaiian Phonology: A great lesson on Hawaiian phonology.

• The Hawaiian Language: A web page with information on Hawaiian alphabets and common words.

• Hawaiian Common Words: List of commonly used Hawaiian words.

• Hawaiian Audio Tutorial: An audio tutorial that provides excellent instructions on various aspects of the Hawaiian language.

Using Hawaiian Phrases

• Hawaiian Words and Phrases: Extensive list of common Hawaiian words and phrases.

• Useful Hawaiian Phrases: Hawaiian phrases that are used in everyday life.

• Common Hawaiian Phrases: Selection of useful Hawaiian phrases.

• Hawaiian Phrases and Colors: Simple words and phrases, as well as colors in the Hawaiian language.

• Numbers in Hawaiian: Learn how to say 1 to 20 in Hawaiian.

• Hawaiian Words of Wisdom: List of interesting Hawaiian proverbs and phrases with translations.

• Hawaiian Dictionary: A free online Hawaiian to English dictionary.

Hawaiian Facts and Culture

• Hawaii Fact Sheet: A fact sheet that contains general information about Hawaii.

• Overview of Hawaii: Summary of facts on the state of Hawaii.

• Hawaii Timeline: A timeline of the history of Hawaii.

• Hawaiian Language Profile: Information about the Hawaiian language, including history, linguistic affiliation, role in society, and others.

• Hawaiian Culture: A web page that contains articles about Hawaiian culture.

• Hawaiian Traditions: A comprehensive description of Hawaiian traditions.

• History of the Luau: Find out about the origin of the Hawaiian Luau.

• Hula of Hawaii: Article that discusses hula dancing in Hawaii.