Quick Answer
"Salamat" (pronounced "sah-LAH-mat") means "thank you" or "thanks" in Tagalog (Filipino) and Visayan languages, and is an everyday local expression across Hawaii. Brought to the islands by Filipino plantation workers (sakadas) beginning in 1906, salamat sits right alongside mahalo in Hawaii Pidgin — especially at family parties, plate lunch counters, and neighborhood potlucks!
Syllable Breakdown:
- "sa" (sah) — open "ah" vowel like "spa" (never a flat "sal" like "salad").
- "LA" (LAH) — carries the primary stress, with a warm, open "lah".
- "mat" (mat) — crisp "maht" with a light final t.
Respectful Tip: Adding "po" ("Salamat po!", pronounced sah-LAH-mat poh) shows instant warmth and respect when thanking an Aunty, Uncle, Lola, or Lolo.
Hawaiian Pidgin grew out of plantation camps where Hawaiian, Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Korean, and Samoan families shared tools, food, and language every day:
Starting in 1906, tens of thousands of Ilocano, Visayan, and Tagalog workers arrived on sugar and pineapple plantations. Filipino vocabulary — from salamat to sarap ("delicious"), pancit, and manong — wove straight into island Pidgin.
Many Hawaii Filipino families also speak Ilocano, where "thank you" is Agyamanak — yet salamat serves as the universal Filipino thank-you understood by everyone from Waipahu to Kahului.
In Hawaii, nobody blinks if you hear "Salamat, brah!", "Mahalo plenny!", and "Arigatō!" in the same five-minute conversation at the bakery counter.
| Phrase | Pronunciation | Meaning & When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Salamat | sah-LAH-mat | "Thank you / Thanks" — warm, casual everyday gratitude with friends and peers. |
| Salamat po | sah-LAH-mat poh | "Thank you (respectful)" — used when thanking elders, Aunties, Uncles, or service workers. |
| Maraming salamat | mah-RAH-ming sah-LAH-mat | "Thank you very much / Many thanks" — the Tagalog equivalent of mahalo nui loa. |
| Walang anuman | wah-LAHNG ah-noo-MAHN | "You're welcome / It's nothing" — classic Tagalog reply (in Pidgin: "No worry!" or "Shoots!"). |
"Salamat fo' da kaukau, Aunty — da lumpia stay broke da mouth!"
Translation: "Thank you for the food, Aunty — the lumpia is ridiculously delicious!"
"Salamat fo' da ride home, cuz! I owe you plate lunch next week."
Translation: "Thanks for the ride home, bro! I owe you lunch next week."
"Maraming salamat po, Uncle, fo' helping fix da truck."
Translation: "Thank you so much, Uncle (respectfully), for helping fix the truck."
"Eh, salamat fo' saving us seats at da grad party — choke people tonight!"
Translation: "Hey, thanks for saving us seats at the graduation party — it's packed tonight!"
Mahalo
Hawaiian for "thank you" and deep gratitude
Mahalo Nui Loa
Hawaiian for "thank you very much"
Sarap
Tagalog & Hawaii slang for "delicious"
No Worry
The classic Pidgin reply: "you're welcome / no problem"
ʻAʻole Pilikia
Hawaiian for "no trouble / you're welcome"
Kokua
Helping out selflessly without expecting anything back
What does salamat mean in English?
Salamat (pronounced sah-LAH-mat) means "thank you" or "thanks" in Tagalog and several other Philippine languages (including Cebuano, Hiligaynon, and Bikol). In Hawaii, where Filipinos form one of the largest communities, salamat is an everyday expression of gratitude in local Pidgin alongside mahalo.
What does "Salamat po" and "Maraming salamat" mean?
"Salamat po" is the polite, respectful way to say "thank you" to elders, Aunties, Uncles, or strangers — po is the Tagalog honorific particle. "Maraming salamat" means "thank you very much" or "many thanks."
How do you pronounce salamat?
It is pronounced sah-LAH-mat, with stress on the middle syllable (LAH) and pure short "ah" vowels in all three syllables.
How do you respond to salamat?
In Tagalog, the traditional response is "Walang anuman" ("you're welcome / it's nothing"). In Hawaii Pidgin, locals usually reply with "No worry!", "Shoots!", "Anytime, brah!", or "ʻAʻole pilikia."
Where does the word salamat come from?
It traces back to the Arabic root salāmah ("peace, safety, well-being," cognate with salaam), which entered Southeast Asian maritime trade centuries ago and came to Hawaii with Filipino sakada plantation workers beginning in 1906.
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