Basic Nouns

1. Ka wai

   Water

   Usage

   Ask for drinking water; pair it with “bottle” if you want sealed water

   Grammar Note

   Hawaiian nouns are learned with the article ka or ke: ke before words starting with k, e, a, or o (the KEAO rule), ka elsewhere.

2. Ka meaʻai

   Food

   Usage

   The general word for food; useful when hunting for somewhere to eat

3. Ke kālā

   Money

   Usage

   The base word for paying and changing currency

   Grammar Note

   Takes "ke" because the word begins with k.

4. Ka lua

   Toilet

   Usage

   Combine it with the “where” question

5. Ka pepa palupalu

   Tissue

   Usage

   Many toilets have no paper — use this word to buy some

   Grammar Note

   "Ka pepa palupalu" means "soft paper," the descriptive term for tissue.

6. Ka lāʻau lapaʻau

   Medicine

   Usage

   At a pharmacy; combine it with gestures for your symptom

7. Ka ukana

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, carrying on, or reporting lost bags

8. Ke kī

   Key

   Usage

   At hotel reception when collecting or returning it

9. Ke kikiki

   Ticket

   Usage

   Covers both transport tickets and admission tickets

10. Ka palapala holo ʻāina ʻē

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at check-in, currency exchange, and any police check

    Grammar Note

    "Palapala holo ʻāina ʻē" is palapala (document) + holo (travel) + ʻāina ʻē (foreign land): a document for travelling abroad, i.e. the passport.

11. Ke kelepona

    Phone

    Usage

    When you need to borrow one or ask for a number

12. Ka mea hoʻopiha uila

    Charger

    Usage

    To borrow one at a hotel or café, or buy one in a shop

    Grammar Note

    "Ka mea hoʻopiha uila" is a descriptive coinage, "the thing that fills electricity"; English "charger" is also understood.

13. Ke kahua kaʻa

    Station

    Usage

    A landmark word when asking for directions

14. Ka haukapila

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

    Grammar Note

    A transliteration of English "hospital."

15. Ka mākaʻi

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; combine it with “where?”

16. Ka hale kūʻai

    Shop

    Usage

    When looking for somewhere to buy something

17. Ka lumi

    Room

    Usage

    Use it when asking a hotel about vacancies

18. Ke alanui

    Road

    Usage

    The base word when asking the way

    Grammar Note

    Takes "ke" because the word begins with a.

19. Ka ʻohana

    Family

    Usage

    A guaranteed small-talk topic; showing photos goes a long way

20. Ka inoa

    Name

    Usage

    For introductions and for giving your name at a counter

21. Ke poʻo

    Head

    Usage

    Point here to show where it hurts

22. Ka maka

    Eye

    Usage

    For eye symptoms

23. Ka niho

    Tooth

    Usage

    At a dentist or pharmacy

24. Ka puʻu

    Throat

    Usage

    For a sore throat

25. Ka ʻōpū

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    To point at stomach pain

26. Ke kua

    Back

    Usage

    For back pain

27. Ka pūhaka

    Lower back / waist

    Usage

    For lower-back pain; pūhaka is the waist and loins

28. Ka wāwae

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    Covers both leg and foot; point at your own body to narrow it down

29. Ka lima

    Hand / arm

    Usage

    One word for hand and arm; point at your own body to narrow it down

30. Ka umauma

    Chest

    Usage

    For chest pain or tightness

31. Ka pepeiao

    Ear

    Usage

    For an earache

32. Ka ʻāʻī

    Neck

    Usage

    For neck pain

33. Ka poʻohiwi

    Shoulder

    Usage

    For shoulder pain

34. Ke kuli

    Knee

    Usage

    For knee pain

35. Ka manamana lima

    Finger

    Usage

    For a finger injury

36. Ka ʻili

    Skin

    Usage

    For rashes and other skin symptoms

37. Ka ihu

    Nose

    Usage

    For nose symptoms

38. Ka hōkele

    Hotel

    Usage

    To show a taxi driver where you are going

39. Ke kahua hoʻolulu mokulele

    Airport

    Usage

    To show a taxi driver where you are going

40. Wahi noho o ke kanikela

    Consulate

    Usage

    Show this when you need your consulate; this phrase corresponds to "consulate" — there is no single-word term (kanikela is "consul")

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