HAWAIIAN GOODNESS
Even for the Mainlander
Duolingo Category #16: Leisure
For the "Leisure" category, there is NO Tips section. Since this is unfortunately lacking on Duolingo, take a peek at my explanation below.
Lessons Taught
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Vocabulary: Fun Activities, Music
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Revisiting Direct Objects: The word "iā"
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Revisiting "E" with verbs
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Hawaiian Music: Slack key, ʻukulele
Vocabulary
Fun Activites, Music
- Hoa = Friend
- Pāʻina = Party (usually with food involved)
- ʻaha ʻaina / ʻahaʻaina = Feast, banquet
- Hana = Activity; Work [n]; To work [v]
- Kiʻiʻoniʻoni = Movie; Movie theater
- Pila = Instrument, music
- Kīkā = Guitar
- ʻukulele = ukulele
- Kī hōʻalu = Slack key
- Leʻaleʻa = Fun
- Pāʻani wikiō = Video game; Playing video games [n]; To play video games [v]
- Pāʻani pepa = Card game; Playing a card game(s) [n]; To play a card game(s), To play cards [v]
- Kamaʻilio = To talk, chat
- Kelekiko = To text
- Hele mai = To come
- Nānā = To look (at), watch
- Hoʻokani = To play [instruments only]
- Hoʻokani pila = To play an instrument, to play music
*Nui ka leʻaleʻa! = Very fun! (as you know: lit. Lots of fun! / The fun is large!)
*(E) Nānā! = Look!
Preceded by "ke" ONLY when used after "E" ("E ke hoa!")
Not to be confused with "Pāʻani" (Game, To play)
Can be one or two words (pronounced the same); Duolingo prefers the latter
Kiʻi (image, picture) + ʻoniʻoni (movement) = moving picture / movie
Watch out for the difference in pronunciation!
Compound Verb!
Compound Verb!
Recall " ʻōlelo " = To talk, speak; "Kamaʻilio" has more of the "To have a conversation" connotation
Compound Verb!
Recall "Kani" means "to sound, strike" (as in, a clock). So "Hoʻokani" means "to make sound."
Duolingo brings this up as its own separate phrase. Technically, since it's a command, it should include the beginning "E" (and it still can!), but it's common, especially in spoken Hawaiian, to omit that word!
Revisiting Direct Objects
The word "iā"
We have been translating and practicing with Hawaiian sentences that contain Direct Objects since we learned them here. However, we only learned how to deal with Direct Objects that are general nouns, not Proper Nouns/names and Pronouns. Duolingo introduces that here!
Instead of using the word "i" (often followed by the definite article ke/ka), Hawaiian uses our new word iā, followed by a name or Pronoun. For example:
E nānā ʻoe iā Keoki.
[Look at Keoki.]
Keoki, the name of a person, is the Direct Object here. Therefore, that name is preceded by just the word iā to indicate that it is indeed the Direct Object.
Let's look at another example:
Kelekiko ʻo ia iā ʻoe?
[Does he text you?]
ʻoe, a Pronoun, is the Direct Object here. Therefore, that Pronoun is preceded by just the word iā to indicate that it is indeed the Direct Object (rather than the Subject).
So far, we've learned that when you put "E" before a verb in a sentence or exclamation, it makes the sentence a command. We also learned how if the Subject isn't specified, it's implied that it's ʻoe. For example:
E hele!
E hele ʻoe!
[Go!]
[You! Go!]
In the same category that we learned that, we also found that you can have other Subjects instead of only ʻoe: kākou and kāua. When either of these are the Subject, the translation changes to "Let's [verb]." However, later we learned that if that same sentence is a question, the translation changes to "Should we [verb]?" For example:
E hoʻoikaika kino kākou!
[Let's work out!]
[We should work out!]
E hoʻoikaika kino kākou?
[Should we work out?]
1. In this current Duolingo category, we learn that commands with the Subject ʻoe can also be translated with "Should," even if it's not a question. For example:
E kelekiko ʻoe iā Keoki.
[Text Keoki.]
[You should text Keoki.]
Keep in mind that the "You should..." translation implies a sense or urgency (even minimal) similar to the command translation. Both translations can be friendly and more of suggestions than outright, angry demands, but both translations are variations of each other. As noted in a previous lesson, this "Should" translation (with the same implications) can be applied to when the Subject is kākou or kāua too!
Furthermore, the "Should" translation can be applied to the Subject when it is in the third person
(ʻo ia, or a name): "He should text Keoki / Let him text Keoki" or "Kawika should text Keoki / Let Kawika text Keoki" as just a couple English examples. We'll see these on Duolingo from time to time!
2. Another component of "E + verb" that we learn in this Duolingo category is yet another Subject: au. When au is the Subject, a more future translation can be applied. For example:
E kelekiko au iā ʻoe.
[I will text you.]
[Let me text you.]
Hawaiian does have a Future tense (learned later), and this is not it. Just like above, the "I will..." translation is simply a variation of the "Let me..." one. It's more of a friendly suggestion or offer than a statement of what will happen in the future.
For example:
Becka and Maria are talking about the errands they have to run today. Maria mentions that she has to go to a particular store to buy an item. Becka states: "Oh don't worry, I'm going there anyways. I'll get it for you/Let me get it for you!" This last statement would use a "E...au" phrase. Because it is an offer/suggestion, Maria can also politely decline. This is how you know that the statement ("I'll get it for you!") is not a Future tense one.
Kī hōʻalu literally means "To slacken (hōʻalu) the key (Kī)." A while back in history, Mexican cowboys arrived in Hawaiʻi and introduced the guitar to the Hawaiians there. When the cowboys left, Hawaiians developed their own sound of music by "slacking" the strings of these guitars. There are many different specific ways to slack the strings (though I'm not musically-proficient enough to explain what they are). You can do this to any guitar!
Below is a video that shows how this is done and what it sounds like. The video itself is ~18 minutes long, but unless you want to pull out your own guitar and practice along with the Youtuber
"Makana Music," the relevant information stops ~6 minutes. At 2:30 is when he starts to slack the guitar strings, so you can hear the difference! Check it out here:
We all know the instrument and sound of the ʻukulele, as it has been popularized throughout American entertainment (see the Bob's Burgers theme song or perhaps Craig Feldspar from Malcolm in the Middle). The small four-stringed "guitar" was actually brought over to Hawaiʻi from Portugal (just like their sausage when they immigrated in the early 20th century)! The name " ʻuku + lele " literally means "jumping flea," presumably from the tiny sound made when plucking it.
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Revisiting "E" with verbs
Hawaiian Music
"E hele mai i koʻu pāʻani pepa i kēia ahiahi."
→ What is the Subject of this question?
→ What is the Subject of the previous example?
Why isn't Keoki also preceded by ʻo, like we're so used to seeing with names? Recall from when we learned about this word that ʻo indicates that the name is the Subject.
As you know well by this point, the Pronouns we've learned so far include: au, ʻoe, ʻo ia, kākou, kāua. There are more, and will be stated when Duolingo introduces them!
" ʻAe, nui ka leʻaleʻa..."
Again, we'll learn the Future tense later in Duolingo. I'm bringing up the nuances in translation now, since you'll be seeing more of these in upcoming Duolingo lessons. If you don't understand why they are translated the way they are now (and conflate it with an English-ism that wasn't supposed to be applied), then the later Duolingo categories might prove confusing for you.
Slack Key
ʻukulele
Hoʻokani kēia kāne hauʻoli i ka ʻukulele.
PRACTICE!
Practice what you learned by translating these sentences copied/pasted from this category of Duolingo. The English translations are below. When you feel confident enough, try translating the English into Hawaiian!
Then: try it on Duolingo!
Hawaiian Sentences:
(Aloha) E ke hoa.
Kamaʻilio ʻo Kaʻiulani ma ke kelepona.
ʻO Kaʻiulani kona hoa.
Remember Equational Sentences? If not, review this post
He pāʻina nui kēlā!
Aia ka pāʻina i kēia lā.
Leʻaleʻa kēia pāʻani pepa!
He hana leʻaleʻa ka pāʻani wikiō.
Pāʻani wikiō ʻo Kēhau ma ka hale.
Pāʻani pepa kēlā kaikamahine.
Nui ka leʻaleʻa!
Hana ʻo Kaleo ma Oʻahu.
Hana ʻoe i kēia lā?
He aha kēia pāʻani pepa?
Makemake ʻo ia e pāʻani wikiō.
Aia ʻo ia ma ke kiʻiʻoniʻoni.
ʻO Kaʻiulani ka inoa o ke kiʻiʻoniʻoni.
Aia i hea ka ʻahaʻaina?
ʻOno ka poi ma ka ʻahaʻaina.
He ʻahaʻaina lā hānau kēia.
Puni au i ka ʻukulele.
Puni au i ke kīkā.
Maikaʻi ke kī hōʻalu.
Hoʻokani nā ʻanakē i ke kīkā.
Hoʻokani au i ke kīkā.
Hoʻokani au i ke kīkā kī hōʻalu.
Hoʻokani nā ʻanakala i ka ʻukulele.
Hoʻokani au i ka ʻukulele.
Kelekiko ʻo ia iā ʻoe?
E kelekiko ʻoe iā Keoki.
E kelepona i kou hoa.
E kelekiko au iā ʻoe.
E kamaʻilio kāua.
E hele mai i koʻu pāʻina.
E pāʻani pepa kākou.
E nānā kākou i ke kiʻiʻoniʻoni.
(E) Nānā!
E nānā ʻoe iā Keoki.
E hoʻokani i nā pila.
E hoʻokani i ke kī hōʻalu.
E hoʻokani ʻoe i ka pila.
E hoʻokani pila kākou!
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Translations:
Hey friend.
Kaʻiulani talks/chats on the phone.
Kaʻiulani is her friend.
That is a big party!
The party is today.
This card game is fun!
Playing video games is a fun activity.
Kēhau plays video games at home (at the house).
That girl plays cards.
Very fun!
Kaleo works on Oʻahu.
Do you work today?
What is this card game? / What card game is this?
She wants to play video games.
She is at the movies.
Kaʻiulani is the name of the movie.
Where is the banquet?
The poi at the feast is delicious.
This is a birthday banquet.
I love the ʻukulele.
I love the guitar.
Slack key is nice/good.
For some reason, Duolingo is not accepting " ʻoluʻolu" as a translation. This is an error on their part.
The aunties play guitar.
I play the guitar.
I play slack key guitar.
The uncles play the ʻukulele.
I play the ʻukulele.
Does he text you?
You should text Keoki. / Text Keoki.
Call your friend. / You should call your friend.
I will text you.
Let's both talk/chat.
Come to my party.
Let's all play cards.
Let’s watch the movie.
Look!
Look at Keoki.
Play the instruments.
Play slack key.
Play the instrument.
Let's play instruments! / Let's play music!
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Contact
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123-456-7890
Pau! [Done!]
Check out the next post -
Duolingo Category #17: Purchases
Aloha! Bye!