Full Dictionary

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 →

Hawaiian Pidgin Cheat Sheet FAQ

What are the most important Hawaiian Pidgin greetings to know? ▼

The top local greetings in Hawaii are "Howzit" (How's it going / Hello), "Shoots" (Okay / Sounds good / See you later), "Aloha" (Hello / Goodbye / Love), "Mahalo" (Thank you), and "A hui hou" (Until we meet again).

What are the top Hawaiian Pidgin food words? ▼

Essential Hawaiian Pidgin food words include "grindz" (food), "grind" (to eat), "ono" (delicious), "broke da mouth" (so delicious it hurts), "pupus" (appetizers or snacks), and "choke" (a generous portion / plenty).

How do Mauka and Makai directions work in Hawaii? ▼

Instead of cardinal directions like north or south, locals give directions using "Mauka" (toward the mountains / inland) and "Makai" (toward the ocean). On Oʻahu, "Diamond Head" (east) and "ʻEwa" (west) are also commonly used.

What is the etiquette for visitors using Hawaiian Pidgin? ▼

Understanding Hawaiian Pidgin is much more important than trying to force a heavy accent. Locals appreciate when visitors naturally use friendly words like "Howzit," "Shoots," "Mahalo," and "Ono," and address elders respectfully as "Auntie" or "Uncle."