hele
/ˈhe.le/
The Hawaiian word for "go" is hele.
hele is a versatile verb meaning to go, to come or to travel.
Meaning: to move through space (especially from one place to another) (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing movement toward a destination, the preposition i is used after hele. The verb hele is used with the particle e to indicate an intention or desire to go, as in e hele.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhe.le/ (stress on the 1st syllable)
Did you know?
- In some contexts, hele is used to describe the process of a plant growing or 'going' upward.
- The word hele is used in the common phrase hele pono, which is a way of saying goodbye that literally means 'go rightfully' or 'go in wellness'.
- In many Polynesian languages, words like hele are part of a broader semantic group that links 'moving' with 'disappearing' or 'leaving'.
Examples in context
- E hele, e Kaʻiulani.Go, Kaʻiulani.Tatoeba #7265269 by azraelgnosis, translation #7265271 by azraelgnosis
- Makemake au e hele i Kioko.I want to go to Kyoto.Tatoeba #3084149 by Objectivesea, translation #378543 by saeb
- Makemake au e hele i ʻAukekulelia me koʻu ʻohana.I want to go to Australia with my family.Tatoeba #3084167 by Objectivesea, translation #498452 by adjusting
- Hele i ka hale puleGo to the church
- Hele nā kānakaThe people are going
- E hele kākou i ke kaiLet's go to the sea
Example conversation
Koa and Noelani are deciding where to go for lunch.
- KoaE hele kāua i ka haleʻaina.Let's go to the restaurant.
- NoelaniʻAe, makemake au e hele.Yes, I want to go.
- KoaE hele kāua i kēia manawa.Let's go right now.
- NoelaniHele kāua!Let's go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “go” translations and entries hele, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
