Beauty & Grooming

1. Makemake au e ʻoki i koʻu lauoho.

   I'd like a haircut.

   Usage

   Request a haircut at a salon

   Grammar Note

   "makemake au e + verb" means "I want to + verb"

2. Pōkole wale — mai ʻoki nui.

   Just a trim, please — don't cut too much.

   Usage

   Ask for a slight trim without cutting too much

   Grammar Note

   "mai + verb" is a negative imperative meaning "don't + verb"

3. Makemake au e hoʻoluʻu i koʻu lauoho i ka [waihoʻoluʻu].

   I'd like to dye my hair [color].

   Usage

   Request a specific hair color

   Grammar Note

   "Makemake au e hoʻoluʻu" = "I want to dye"; to dye is hoʻoluʻu (Emerson 1845, Judd/Pukui/Stokes 1943 s.v. dye) and the noun "dye/color" is waihoʻoluʻu. pani means "to close, shut", never "to dye"

4. Hiki iaʻu ke nānā i ka puke kiʻi lauoho?

   Can I look at a hairstyle book?

   Usage

   Ask to browse a hairstyle catalog

   Grammar Note

   "hiki iaʻu ke + verb" is the Hawaiian way to ask "can I...?"

5. Makemake au e holoi a hoʻomaloʻo lauoho.

   I'd like a shampoo and blow-dry.

   Usage

   Request a shampoo and blow-dry

   Grammar Note

   "a" here functions as the conjunction "and", linking two actions

6. Loaʻa anei ka hana kiʻi mikiʻao ma ʻaneʻi?

   Do you offer nail art?

   Usage

   Ask whether nail art services are available

   Grammar Note

   "loaʻa anei" asks whether something is available ("is there ...?"); "loaʻa iaʻu" would make the speaker the one who obtains it

7. Makemake au i nā mikiʻao gel / acrylic.

   I'd like gel nails / acrylic nails.

   Usage

   Specify the type of nails you want

   Grammar Note

   "makemake au i + noun" means "I want / would like + noun"

8. ʻEhia ke kumukūʻai?

   How much will this cost?

   Usage

   Ask about the price of a service

   Grammar Note

   "ʻehia + noun?" is the question form for asking quantities or prices; the correct spelling has the ʻokina (P&E ʻehia)

9. ʻEhia ka manawa?

   How long will it take?

   Usage

   Ask how long a treatment will take

   Grammar Note

   "manawa" means "time / moment" and is used to ask about duration

10. Makemake au i kahi mālama ʻili no koʻu helehelena.

    I'd like a facial / skin treatment.

    Usage

    Request a facial or skin care treatment

    Grammar Note

    "no koʻu + noun" means "for my..." — a possessive prepositional phrase

11. ʻO koʻu lauoho he piʻipiʻi / pololei / lahilahi / mānoanoa.

    My hair is curly / straight / fine / thick.

    Usage

    Describe your hair type to the stylist

    Grammar Note

    "ʻo + subject + he + adjective/noun" is the basic predicate structure in Hawaiian. Curly hair is piʻipiʻi (P&E "curly, curled, wavy … of hair") and thick is mānoanoa (P&E English–Hawaiian "thick")

12. Hiki iā ʻoe ke hoʻopololei / hoʻomimilo i koʻu lauoho?

    Can you straighten / perm my hair?

    Usage

    Request hair straightening or perming

    Grammar Note

    "hiki iā ʻoe ke + verb?" means "can you...?" — a polite request. To curl hair is hoʻomimilo (P&E English–Hawaiian, curl: "To curl, as hair, hoʻomimilo"); hoʻopili means "to cling / to imitate" and never "to perm"

13. Hauʻoli nui au — mahalo!

    I'm very happy with the result — thank you!

    Usage

    Express satisfaction after a beauty treatment

    Grammar Note

    "nui" means "big / very" and is used to intensify adjectives

14. Hiki iā ʻoe ke hoʻonohonoho i koʻu mau kuʻemaka?

    Can you shape / thread my eyebrows?

    Usage

    Request eyebrow shaping or grooming

    Grammar Note

    the "hoʻo-" prefix is causative, indicating "to make/shape into"

15. He aha nā mea āu e hoʻohana nei?

    What products do you use?

    Usage

    Ask about the products used during treatment

    Grammar Note

    "he aha nā mea" asks "what things/products?" — "nā" marks the plural

16. Pono paha e hoʻopaʻa manawa mua?

    Do I need to make an appointment?

    Usage

    Ask if an appointment is required beforehand

    Grammar Note

    "pono paha e + verb?" asks "is it necessary to + verb?" softly with "paha" (perhaps)

17. Hiki iā ʻoe ke ʻoki hoʻi i koʻu ʻumiʻumi?

    Can you also trim my beard?

    Usage

    Request a beard trim as an additional service

    Grammar Note

    "hoʻi" meaning "also/too" adds the request to a previous one

18. Makemake au i ka lomi ʻili poʻo.

    I'd like a scalp massage.

    Usage

    Request a scalp massage at the salon

    Grammar Note

    Scalp is ʻili poʻo (P&E English–Hawaiian: "scalp — ʻIli poʻo") and lomi is "to rub, massage" (the root of lomilomi); lāʻau means "plant / medicine" and has nothing to do with the scalp

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