![]() Although it seems obvious, there’s a big difference between saying “hello” and saying “what’s up?” The locals are always excited to meet new people and “talk story” (chat, shoot the breeze). “Howzit?” is a Hawaiian slang phrase for “Hey, how’s it going?” You’ll hear this one quite often, as you traverse the islands. As I said before, be selective if you choose to try this one on your vacay, because speaking it to the wrong braddah can get you snatched up by 5-0!! The word “paka” translates to tobacco, and “lolo” means crazy hence Pakalolo is the term the local kine use in reference to excellent marijuana (mainlanders might refer to it as ‘MauiWowie’). ![]() This is pidgin to the max! Saying this one to the wrong person can definitely land you in jail. That’s YOU, brah! An outsider, stranger, tourist, non-islander, they know you! Pronounced may-ly-hee-nee (better get that straight, tourist!) this is about someone that wears water socks and shoes, instead of “rubbah slippahs.” This term should not be confused with make (mah-kay) which means “dead,” i.e. Pau (pronounced pow) generally translates to “no more,” “all gone,” or “time’s up.” The term pau hana means “after work,” and references the best Happy Hours on the islands. This is pretty much what you say if your vehicle shits the bed. The most common phrase you will hear relating to this word, is “Mahalo for your k ō kua,” which basically means “thanks for your help!” This pidgin phrase is important, because as a visitor, if a native asks for your brief assistance, you should be able to understand and offer it out of respect. K ō kua luau is an extension of the saying, and directly translates to a stronger form of assistance, meaning “to contribute.” The term references the festive traditional gatherings of dance, music, and food called “ luaus“. The Hawaiian slang phrase k ō kua simply means to help or assist. You may see this on local signs here and there. The following are some pidgin phrases you should know, before ever stepping foot on the islands. You must make friends with an insider, lest you become fodder for a chuckling group of locals. They created an easy-to-understand lingo and named it “ pidgin,” which literally translates to “business.” These days, natives on the islands have adopted this as a means of short-hand speak, as well as a way to mess with tourists.ĭo not assume that just because you read this guide, you can go spouting off. The local patois (Hawaiian slang) was originally developed by Chinese immigrants to make business transactions easier. In addition to English, Hawaiian is also spoken on the island and a more local form of the dialect is known as pidgin. True travelers know that when you visit any region that has a distinctive culture-and more importantly, a complete other language, you should know more than one word the natives use. ![]() Why not grab your Hawaiian shirt and streak your nose in zinc, while you’re at it?! If you think Aloha is the online phrase you need to know on the islands, you might be an a-hole tourist. (Don’t say #4 Wrong or You’ll Probably end up in Jail)
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