e ʻai kāua
The Hawaiian phrase for "bon appétit" is e ʻai kāua.
This phrase is used to wish someone enjoyment of the meal they are about to eat.
Meaning: used to wish someone enjoyment of the meal they are about to eat (phrase)
Did you know?
- The root of ʻai can be traced back to the Proto-Austronesian word *kaən. This means the word used for 'eating' in Hawaii has roots connecting it to languages spoken in Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, meals were often preceded by a prayer called a pule. Saying e ʻai kāua serves as a modern, casual way to initiate the act of eating.
- The phrase e ʻai kāua specifically implies that both the speaker and the listener are eating together. It literally translates to 'let us two eat'.
Example conversation
Koa and Noelani are sitting down for lunch together.
- KoaE ʻai kāua, Noelani!Let's eat, Noelani!
- NoelaniMahalo, Koa.Thank you, Koa.
- KoaHe mea ʻono kēia.This is delicious.
- NoelaniʻAe, he ʻai maikaʻi kēia.Yes, this is a good meal.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kāua, ʻai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
