aloha ʻauinalā
/aˈlo.ha ʔau̯ˌi.naˈlaː/
aloha ʻauinalā is the Hawaiian way to say good afternoon.
This specific greeting is used during the afternoon hours, typically from midday until sunset.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase has 6 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA is /aˈlo.ha ʔau̯ˌi.naˈlaː/.
Did you know?
- The word aloha actually traces back to a word meaning 'to beckon' or 'to wave'.
- The glottal stop in ʻauinalā, written as the ‘okina symbol ʻ, is a full consonant that changes the meaning of the word if omitted.
- While aloha ʻauinalā is the formal greeting, many locals simply use aloha regardless of the time of day.
Example sentences for Hawaiian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Keanu and Noelani meet on a walking path.
- KeanuAloha ʻauinalā, Noelani!Good afternoon, Noelani!
- NoelaniAloha ʻauinalā, Keanu.Good afternoon, Keanu.
- KeanuPehea ʻoe?How are you?
- NoelaniMaikaʻi au, mahalo.I am good, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations and entries aloha ʻauinalā, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aloha, aloha ʻauinalā, ʻauinalā, CC BY-SA 4.0.
