Nature & Outdoors

1. He nani ka mauna

   He na-ni ka mau-na

   The mountain is beautiful

   Usage

   Admire the beauty of Hawaiian mountains or volcanoes

   Grammar Note

   "he" is the indefinite predicative particle; "nani" = "beautiful" — "he nani" = "it is beautiful"

2. Ke ahi o Pele

   Ke a-hi o Pe-le

   Pele's fire (volcanic lava)

   Usage

   Reference Hawaiian volcanic activity in relation to the goddess Pele

   Grammar Note

   "ahi" = "fire"; "Pele" is the Hawaiian volcano goddess (a proper name, so capitalised). The definite article follows the KEAO rule (ke before k, e, a, o; otherwise ka), so ahi, which starts with a, takes ke

3. ʻO Maunakea ke kuahiwi kiʻekiʻe loa

   ʻO Mau-na-kea ke ku-a-hi-wi ki-ʻe-ki-ʻe lo-a

   Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain

   Usage

   Discuss Mauna Kea, Hawaii's highest peak

   Grammar Note

   "Maunakea" = "white mountain"; "kiʻekiʻe" is the base word for "high", and adding "loa" gives "highest / very high"

4. Ke noe o ke kuahiwi

   Ke no-e o ke ku-a-hi-wi

   The mist of the mountain

   Usage

   Describe the mist or fog on Hawaiian mountains

   Grammar Note

   "noe" = "mist/fog/fine rain"; "o" is the possessive preposition meaning "of/belonging to"

5. He ʻino nui ka makani

   He ʻi-no nu-i ka ma-ka-ni

   The wind is very strong

   Usage

   Describe strong or severe winds

   Grammar Note

   "makani" = "wind"; "ʻino" = "bad/fierce/severe" — commonly used for harsh weather

6. Ua ua i kēia lā

   U-a u-a i kē-ia lā

   It rained today

   Usage

   Report that it rained on a given day

   Grammar Note

   "ua" (rain) is a homophone of the perfective aspect marker "ua" — context determines meaning

7. Nani ka wai o ke kahawai

   Na-ni ka wai o ke ka-ha-wai

   The water of the stream is beautiful

   Usage

   Admire the beauty of a Hawaiian stream or waterfall

   Grammar Note

   "kahawai" = "stream/river"; "wai" = "water/liquid" — the root of "kahawai"

8. He ʻāina momona kēia

   He ʻā-i-na mo-mo-na kē-ia

   This is a fertile/rich land

   Usage

   Describe the richness and fertility of Hawaiian land

   Grammar Note

   "momona" = "sweet/rich/fertile" — used for both the sweetness of food and fertility of land

9. ʻO nā manu e haʻihaʻi ana

   ʻO nā ma-nu e ha-ʻi-ha-ʻi a-na

   The birds are singing

   Usage

   Describe birds singing in nature

   Grammar Note

   "nā" is the plural definite article; "ana" is the progressive aspect marker indicating ongoing action

10. He moana hohonu kēia

    He mo-a-na ho-ho-nu kē-ia

    This is a deep ocean

    Usage

    Describe the deep Pacific Ocean

    Grammar Note

    "moana" = "ocean/open sea"; "hohonu" = "deep" — also used metaphorically for depth of thought

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