HAWAIIAN PIDGIN

Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

Essential Grammar • Phrases • Vocabulary | ChokePidgin.com

GRAMMAR RULES

"STAY" = Am/Is/Are

I stay tired • Da food stay ono

"WEN" = Past Tense

I wen go store • She wen eat

"GOING" = Will/Future

I going call you • We going beach

"DA" = The | "ONE" = A/An

Da waves • One car • Da kine

Pronouns: Dey/Dem/Dat/Dis

They→Dey • Them→Dem • That→Dat

Negation: "No" / "Neva"

Don't→No • Didn't→Neva • Can't→No can

GREETINGS & RESPONSES

Howzit How are you?/Hello

Shoots Okay/Sounds good

Aloha Hello/Goodbye/Love

Mahalo Thank you

A hui hou Until we meet again

FOOD (GRINDZ)

Grindz Food

Ono Delicious

Broke da mouth Extremely delicious

Grind To eat

Pupus Appetizers/Snacks

Kaukau Food/Meal

PEOPLE

Brah/Bruddah Friend/Brother

Sistah Sister/Female friend

Auntie/Uncle Respectful elder term

Keiki Child/Kid

Haole Foreigner (often white)

Local From Hawaii

TOP 25 PHRASES

Da kine The thing/Whatchamacallit

Talk story Chat/Have conversation

Pau Finished/Done

Pau hana Done with work

Bumbye Later/In a while

Choke A lot/Many

No worry Don't worry/No problem

Try wait Hold on/Wait

Stink eye Dirty look

Beef Problem/Conflict

Hana hou Do again/Encore

Lolo Crazy/Stupid

Kapu Forbidden/Off limits

Shishi Urinate (childish)

Slippahs Flip-flops/Sandals

🧭 DIRECTIONS

Makai Toward the ocean

Mauka Toward the mountains

Diamond Head East (Oahu)

Ewa West (Oahu)

EMOTIONS & DESCRIPTIONS

Stoked Excited

Bummers Disappointing/Bad luck

Hana buttah Smooth/Easy

Broke Broken/Damaged

Chicken skin Goosebumps

Mento Smart/Clever

PRO TIPS

• "Da kine" is the most versatile word - use it for anything!
• Drop consonants: "Little bit" → "Litto bit"
• Th → D: "This" → "Dis", "That" → "Dat"
• Respect elders by using "Auntie" or "Uncle"
• Don't force it - understanding is more important than speaking
• Learn more at ChokePidgin.com

EXAMPLE CONVERSATIONS

At the Beach

A: "Howzit brah!"

B: "Shoots! Da waves stay choke today!"

A: "Yeah! Going surf bumbye?"

B: "Can! Try wait, I going grab my board."

Getting Food 🍜

A: "Eh, you wen eat yet?"

B: "Nah, I stay hungry!"

A: "Let's go grind. I know one ono place."

B: "Shoots! Da kine broke da mouth?"

A: "Yeah brah, choke ono!"

After Work 💼

A: "You pau hana already?"

B: "Yeah, finally pau! I stay tired."

A: "Going talk story bumbye?"

B: "Can! Meet you makai side."

Want to Learn More? Deep Dive Into These Words

Howzit Da Kine Pau Hana Mauka/Makai Grindz Ono Brah Shoots Choke Mahalo Aloha Ohana

Explore Full Dictionary →

Get Your Free PDF!