Hawaiian Online – Level 1

The Hawaiian language, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, is a Polynesian lingo making a comeback. When Hawaii was annexed by the U.S in 1899, its rapid decline meant than fewer than 2000 people were native speakers, mostly the older generations. Thankfully, it once again became an official language in 1978, and you can now join an exclusive club of about 8000 speakers; these days the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi’ is mixed into English for everyday use, so knowing a few words will definitely make any visit to the islands much more fun!

Did you know?

The word aloha is more than just hello; as well as simple greetings, it represents mutual love and respect and the “aloha spirit”, bringing mind and body in humility together to think good things about other people.