The following translations are what I have learned the words to mean based on my own observations being in Hawaii along with some help and examples from Ryan. The following are helpful words and phrases to know when you visit Hawaii, with some you may not even hear but are fun to know anyway 🙂 Disclaimer: I have not studied the Hawaiian language, nor Pidgin, so I am not claiming to be an expert.

Pidgin also became helpful during WWII when Japanese spies tried to intercept local radios but couldn’t understand what was being said.

With Ryan’s Japanese background and my Filipino background, it’s always interesting for us when we recognize Japanese and Filipino words mixed in with Pidgin! It is a mix of English, Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, Chinese and Portuguese words that came about in the 19th century when migrants came from those respective countries to work the plantations in Hawaii. Hawaiian slang, more popularly known as Pidgin, is Hawaii’s unofficial local language and can be heard spoken throughout the islands by the locals. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. I’ve put together this little Hawaiian Pidgin to English dictionary of my favorite Hawaiian slang words and pidgin phrases that you’ll want to know for your visit!ĭisclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase something after clicking one of these links, we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. After 10 years of being together I’ve gotten quite familiar with the local lingo. When I first stayed with his auntie and family in Kaneohe, Oahu, the first few months I started picking up the local Hawaiian slang words and phrases, aka Hawaiian Pidgin. Ryan’s family is local to Hawaii, meaning their family goes back many generations living on Oahu and Kauai.

Kine words