ʻai
/ˈʔai̯/
The Hawaiian word for to eat is ʻai.
ʻai is used to describe the act of eating a meal. You may also encounter the word ʻono, which means delicious or tasty, but it can also be used to refer to the act of eating or enjoying food.
Meaning: eat a meal (verb)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔai̯/
Did you know?
- In ancient Hawaii, the act of eating was governed by the kapu system, which forbade men and women from eating together.
- The word ʻono, which relates to the pleasure of eating, is also the name of a specific type of fish found in Hawaiian waters.
- The word ʻai is part of a vast family of words stretching back to the Proto-Austronesian language, connecting it to languages as far away as Madagascar.
Examples in context
- E ʻai kākou i kekahi mea ono!Let's eat something delicious!
- E ʻai ʻoe i kēlā?Are you going to eat that?
- E ʻai kākou.Let's eat.
- Makemake ʻoe e ʻai?Do you want to eat?
Example conversation
Keanu and Leilani are sitting down for lunch.
- KeanuLeilani, e ʻai kākou.Leilani, let's eat.
- LeilaniʻAe, e ʻai kākou.Yes, let's eat.
- KeanuHe mea ʻai maikaʻi kēia.This is a good meal.
- LeilaniʻAe, ʻono ia!Yes, it is delicious!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ʻai, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ʻai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
