Hawaiian Word of the Day: January 21st

By Leilani Poliʻahu

Published January 21, 2022 at 12:00 AM HST

You've heard us talk so often about vowels, you've probably wondered if there is a Hawaiian word for vowel. Yes, though it is a borrowed one, woela means vowel. The woela in Hawaiian are a, e, i, o, and u.

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Leilani Poliʻahu

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Hoʻolele means “to cause to fly.” And coupled with leo – for voice – it means “broadcast,” as we do these Hawaiian words every day on Hawaiʻi Public Radio. Hoʻolele leo – causing the voice to fly.
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Puaʻa means “pig, swine, hog, pork.” And although it is a commonly used Hawaiian word, even in English conversation, it is often mispronounced. Say puaʻa as in kamapuaʻa. Puʻa is also another pronunciation you might hear, especially among native speakers.