The only place where the Hawaiian language is spoken on a daily basis is on the private island of Ni'ihau, located just off the coast of Kauai. Throughout all the islands you will find many Hawaiian names, words and expressions used in daily life. In fact 85% of all place names in Hawaii are Hawaiian and often have interesting stories behind how they got the name. The Polynesians never had a written language until the Missionaries arrived and found they needed a Hawaiian Bible, so they quickly developed a twelve letter alphabet. It includes five vowels and seven consonants which are pronounced just as they are in English except for the W, which is often pronounced as a V. Hawaiian Pidgin or Slang is another common way of communicating in everyday conversation amongst locals.

Here are a few words that you may hear during your visit to the islands. You may also be interested in a Hawaiian-English dictionary which covers more that 5000 words and an introduction to the Hawaiian Language.