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."