Compliments

1. ʻOno loa ka meaʻai!

   ʻO-no lo-a ka me-a-ʻai

   The food is very delicious!

   Usage

   Compliment the food at a luau or local Hawaiian restaurant

   Grammar Note

   ʻono means delicious or sweet in Hawaiian

2. He wahi nani kēia.

   He wa-hi na-ni kē-ia

   This is a beautiful place.

   Usage

   Express admiration for the beautiful Hawaiian landscape

   Grammar Note

   nani appears in place names throughout Hawaiʻi as a symbol of beauty

3. Hana maikaʻi ʻoe!

   Ha-na mai-ka-ʻi ʻoe

   Well done! / Great work!

   Usage

   Praise someone for their work or performance

   Grammar Note

   maikaʻi is the most common Hawaiian word for "good" or "fine"

4. Mahalo no kou hoʻokipa ʻana mai.

   Ma-ha-lo no kou ho-ʻo-ki-pa ʻa-na mai

   Thank you for your hospitality.

   Usage

   Thank a Hawaiian host for their generous aloha spirit

   Grammar Note

   "Mahalo no ~" means "thanks for ~"; hoʻokipa means "to host/entertain guests" and ʻana nominalizes the verb

5. Pono kou ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

   Po-no kou ʻō-le-lo Ha-wai-ʻi

   Your Hawaiian is excellent.

   Usage

   Compliment someone on their skill in speaking Hawaiian

   Grammar Note

   pono is a core Hawaiian value meaning righteousness, balance, and excellence

6. He nani kou lole!

   He na-ni kou lo-le

   Your clothes are beautiful!

   Usage

   Compliment someone on their beautiful outfit

   Grammar Note

   lole means cloth or clothes in Hawaiian; kou is the possessive "your"

7. Ikaika ʻoe!

   I-kai-ka ʻoe

   You are strong!

   Usage

   Praise someone for their physical or mental strength

   Grammar Note

   ikaika means strong; it is also used as a Hawaiian personal name

8. Akamai loa ʻoe!

   A-ka-mai lo-a ʻoe

   You are very smart!

   Usage

   Praise someone for their intelligence or clever thinking

   Grammar Note

   akamai means clever or skilled; famously adopted by a global tech company

9. Nani loa ka hula ʻana.

   Na-ni lo-a ka hu-la ʻa-na

   The hula is very beautiful.

   Usage

   Compliment a hula dancer on their beautiful performance

   Grammar Note

   hula ʻana nominalizes the verb hula — "the act of hula dancing"

10. He makana ʻoe no Hawaiʻi.

    He ma-ka-na ʻoe no Ha-wai-ʻi

    You are a gift to Hawaiʻi.

    Usage

    The highest compliment for someone who contributes to Hawaiian culture

    Grammar Note

    no indicates belonging or purpose — "for" or "belonging to"

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