ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi

Kōkua ma ka puana Pronunciation Help

Paying attention to the following things will help you with your pronunciation as you contribute voice data to Lauleo (and will help you earn full points in the competition!).

Pronouce ʻokina where they are and don’t add them where they are not.
1. Correct: ʻO Kaleimamo kona inoa. Her name is Kaleimamo.
2. Wrong: ʻO Kaleimamo kona ʻinoa.
3. Correct: Ua ʻike au iā Lani. I saw Lani.
4. Wrong: Ua ike au iā Lani.
5. Correct: Pēlā ka hele ʻana mai i Honolulu. Such was the journey to Honolulu.
6. Wrong: Pēlā ka hele ana mai i Honolulu.
Elongate vowels that have a kahakō
1. Correct: Aloha kāua, e ke hoa. Greetings, friend.
2. Wrong: Aloha kaua, e ke hoa. Wartime greetings, friend.
3. Correct: Ua kāhiko ʻia i ka nani. Adorned with beautiful things.
4. Wrong: Ua kahiko ʻia i ka nani. Made old by beautiful things.
Don’t elongate vowels when there’s no kahakō (keep da nani tight!)
1. Correct: Ua nani ʻo Kauaʻi i ka mālie. Kauaʻi is beautiful in the calm.
2. Wrong: Ua nonny ʻo Kauaʻi i ka mālie. Kauaʻi is ? in the calm.
"A" tends to be the most problematic of the vowels for second language speakers. To avoid sounding like a surfer dude from Cali, take extra care with the short "a" sounds. The "a" in "nani is like the "u" in the English word "under".
Watch your vowel combos (diphthongs)
1. Correct: Hele au i kahakai. I go to the beach.
2. Wrong: Hele ao i kahakai. Cloud goes to the beach.
3. E hele mai ʻoe. Come over here.
4. E hele mae ʻoe. Come wilted.
Watch your vowel glides between words.
1. Correct: ʻO Tuti ka inoa o ia wahine. Tuti is the name of that person over there.
2. Wrong: ʻO Tuti ka inoa ʻo ia wahine.
Keep your alelo ʻeleu (no lazy pronunciation)
1. Correct: ʻAʻohe oʻu kuleana ma laila. That’s none of my business.
2. Wrong: ʻAʻohe oʻu kuliana ma laila. That’s none of my ?
Stay on the kinipōpō when it gets complex (try it a couple times before you record)
1. Correct: He kāʻeʻaʻeʻa pulu ʻole.
2. Wrong: He kaʻeaʻea pulu ʻole.
3. Correct: ʻO Kauikeaouli ka inoa o ke aliʻi.
4. Wrong: ʻO Kauikiaoli ka inoa o ke aliʻi.
5. Correct: He mau moʻolelo o ke au hou.
6. Wrong: He mao moʻolelo o ke ao hō.
Keep your questions sounding Hawaiian.

Yes/no questions end in a descending tone. Other questions tend to have a rising intonation at the end. Pidgin is the best guide. Think of your tūtū man or uncle asking you on the phone, "Wea you stay?"
1. Correct: Aia ʻoe ma ka hale? (yes/no question intonation goes down).
2. Wrong: Aia ʻoe ma ka hale? (yes/no question with rising intonation).
3. Correct: E hele ana ʻoe i hea? (open ended question, intonation rises).
4. Wrong: E hele ana ʻoe i hea? (open ended question, intonation goes down).
When "ia" is combined with certain other words, it can sound different.
1. Ua pumehana nā lā hope o Kamehameha ʻekahi iā ia nei.
2. Iā ia nei naʻe i komo aku ai, ʻike akula ia i ka moʻo.
3. Pēlā kā ia nei hana ʻana a lawa ko ia nei mau pāpahi lei.
4. Ua hei kāua i kā ia ala wahi ʻouo puaʻa.
5. He mea pale wale nō na ia nei.
6. Na lākou lā ka make, na ia nei nō hoʻi ke ola.
7. I uhaele māua, i waiho ʻo ia nei i Kaea i ke ala loa, a laila ʻo wau ko ia nei moepuʻu.
8. Ua piʻi hoʻi ko ia ala kai.

Kōkua ma ka puana Pronunciation Help

Pronouce ʻokina where they are and don’t add them where they are not.

Elongate vowels that have a kahakō

Don’t elongate vowels when there’s no kahakō (keep da nani tight!)

Watch your vowel combos (diphthongs)

Watch your vowel glides between words.

Keep your alelo ʻeleu (no lazy pronunciation)

Stay on the kinipōpō when it gets complex (try it a couple times before you record)

Keep your questions sounding Hawaiian.

When "ia" is combined with certain other words, it can sound different.