kāpena
/kaːˈpe.na/
The Hawaiian word for captain is kāpena.
kāpena is used to refer to the person lawfully in command of a sea-going vessel.
Meaning: the person lawfully in command of a sea-going vessel (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word kāpena is a transliteration of the English word 'captain' into Hawaiian phonology.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced /kaːˈpe.na/ with the stress on the second of three syllables.
Did you know?
- In Hawaiian, the word kāpena is a homograph used to refer to both a 'captain' and a 'cabin' on a ship.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture before the arrival of Europeans, the concept of a 'captain' was tied to the aliʻi or nobility who commanded the great voyaging canoes.
- Because Hawaiian syllables must end in a vowel, the English 'n' in 'captain' cannot stand alone at the end of the word. An extra 'a' was added to the end to create the syllable na.
Examples in context
- Huli ka kāpena i ka moku.The captain turns the ship.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at a ship in the harbor.
- MaliaHe nani loa kēlā waʻa!That ship is very beautiful!
- KoaʻAe, a ua loaʻa kēlā kāpena i ka mea kūpono.Yes, and that captain has found the right way.
- MaliaManaʻo pū ʻoe e kōkua ana ka kāpena?Do you also think the captain is helping?
- KoaʻAe, he kanaka maikaʻi ʻo ia.Yes, he is a good person.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kāpena, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kāpena, CC BY-SA 4.0.
