Numbers

1. ʻEkahi, ʻelua, ʻekolu

   ʻE-ka-hi, ʻe-lu-a, ʻe-ko-lu

   One, two, three

   Usage

   Basic Hawaiian numbers used for prices and quantities

   Grammar Note

   Numbers starting with ʻE- share roots across Polynesian languages

2. ʻEhā, ʻelima, ʻeono

   ʻE-hā, ʻe-li-ma, ʻe-o-no

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   Hawaiian numbers 4 through 6, useful for quantities

   Grammar Note

   lima also means "hand" in Hawaiian — connected to five fingers

3. ʻEhiku, ʻewalu, ʻeiwa

   ʻE-hi-ku, ʻe-wa-lu, ʻe-i-wa

   Seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   Hawaiian numbers 7 through 9, useful for times and phone numbers

   Grammar Note

   ʻEiwa (nine) is a different word from the place name ʻEwa, in both spelling and pronunciation

4. ʻUmi

   ʻU-mi

   Ten / 10

   Usage

   Hawaiian word for ten, important for expressing prices

   Grammar Note

   ʻUmi is the distinct Hawaiian form; compare with other Polynesian languages

5. ʻEhia mau?

   ʻE-hia mau

   How many?

   Usage

   General phrase to ask about quantity at shops or markets

   Grammar Note

   mau marks plurality; ʻEhia alone also means "how many"

6. ʻUmi kumamākahi

   ʻU-mi ku-ma-mā-ka-hi

   Eleven / 11

   Usage

   Numbers above 10 use ʻumi plus kumama and the digit

   Grammar Note

   Hawaiian numbers above 10 are formed with ʻumi kumama + digit

7. Iwakālua

   I-wa-kā-lu-a

   Twenty / 20

   Usage

   Hawaiian word for twenty, used in counting and prices

   Grammar Note

   iwakālua is a unique form; some theories link it to traditional counting systems

8. Kanakolu

   Ka-na-ko-lu

   Thirty / 30

   Usage

   Hawaiian word for thirty, useful for prices and quantities

   Grammar Note

   kanakolu combines kana (repetitive unit) and kolu (three)

9. Kanahā

   Ka-na-hā

   Forty / 40

   Usage

   Hawaiian word for forty, useful for prices and quantities

   Grammar Note

   kanahā combines kana (tens element) and hā (four), built like kanakolu (30). ʻehā anahulu means four 10-day periods (40 days), not the number 40

10. He haneli

    He ha-ne-li

    One hundred / 100

    Usage

    Used to express 100 dollars or 100 items

    Grammar Note

    haneli is borrowed from English "hundred"; traditional Hawaiian used different counting

11. He iwakālua kumamāhiku oʻu makahiki.

    He i-wa-kā-lu-a ku-ma-mā-hi-ku o-ʻu ma-ka-hi-ki

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    How to answer with your age. Swap the number to give any other age

    Grammar Note

    Numbers in the twenties are iwakālua (20) plus the prefix kumamā- and the unit (see the kumamā- entry in Pukui & Elbert). Makahiki means both year and age. The possessive mirrors "ʻEhia ou makahiki?" (How old are you?): the plural o-form ou becomes first-person oʻu, not the singular koʻu

12. I kēia makahiki, he iwakālua kumamāwalu oʻu makahiki.

    I kē-ia ma-ka-hi-ki, he i-wa-kā-lu-a ku-ma-mā-wa-lu o-ʻu ma-ka-hi-ki

    I turn 28 this year

    Usage

    Saying what age you will reach this year — useful for visa or insurance questions

    Grammar Note

    Makahiki covers both "year" and "age", so the word appears twice: "I kēia makahiki" (this year) and "oʻu makahiki" (my age). The time phrase is fronted. The unit for eight is walu, giving iwakālua kumamāwalu for 28

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