Music & Entertainment

1. E mele kāua

   E me-le kāu-a

   Let's sing together

   Usage

   Inviting someone to sing together

   Grammar Note

   "Kāua" is the dual pronoun meaning "the two of us" (speaker and listener)

2. He mea nani ka mele Hawaiʻi

   He me-a na-ni ka me-le Ha-wai-ʻi

   Hawaiian music is a beautiful thing

   Usage

   Expressing appreciation for Hawaiian music

   Grammar Note

   "He mea nani" is a praise pattern meaning "it is a beautiful/wonderful thing"

3. Ke hula nei lākou i ka mele

   Ke hu-la nei lā-kou i ka me-le

   They are dancing hula to the song

   Usage

   Describing a hula performance with musical accompaniment

   Grammar Note

   Hula is the traditional Hawaiian dance inseparable from mele (chant/song)

4. He ukulele kona mea pāʻani mele

   He u-ku-le-le ko-na me-a pā-ʻa-ni me-le

   The ukulele is his musical instrument

   Usage

   Talking about someone's musical instrument

   Grammar Note

   "Ukulele" has Portuguese origins but became iconic in Hawaiian musical culture

5. E hoʻolohe i ka mele aloha

   E ho-ʻo-lo-he i ka me-le a-lo-ha

   Please listen to the aloha song

   Usage

   Inviting someone to listen to a Hawaiian aloha song

   Grammar Note

   "Mele aloha" refers to traditional Hawaiian songs about love and affection

6. Ua pāʻani ʻoia i ke kīkā

   U-a pā-ʻa-ni ʻo-ia i ke kī-kā

   He/She played the guitar

   Usage

   Telling someone that a person played an instrument

   Grammar Note

   "Kīkā" is the loanword from English "guitar". "Pila" is used elsewhere in this app for "bill (invoice)", so it is not used for the guitar.

7. He nani ka leo mele o ia wahine

   He na-ni ka le-o me-le o i-a wa-hi-ne

   That woman's singing voice is beautiful

   Usage

   Complimenting a singer's voice

   Grammar Note

   "Leo" means voice, sound, or language — important in both music and communication

8. E hele ana mākou i ka hōʻike mele

   E he-le a-na mā-kou i ka hō-ʻi-ke me-le

   We are going to the music concert

   Usage

   Telling someone about plans to attend a concert

   Grammar Note

   "Hōʻike" comes from "to show/reveal" and is used for any public performance

9. Ke aʻo nei au i ka pāʻani ʻana i ka ʻukulele

   Ke a-ʻo nei au i ka pā-ʻa-ni ʻa-na i ka ʻu-ku-le-le

   I am learning to play the ukulele

   Usage

   Saying you are in the process of learning an instrument

   Grammar Note

   "ʻUkulele" is the Hawaiian name of the instrument itself (with the ʻokina). "Pāʻani ʻana" means "the playing of".

10. Ua lilo au i ka mele

    U-a li-lo au i ka me-le

    I was captivated by the music

    Usage

    Expressing being deeply moved or captivated by music

    Grammar Note

    "Lilo" meaning "captivated" is also the name used in the film "Lilo and Stitch"

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