hāmale
The English word "hammer" is hāmale in Hawaiian. Wiktionary also lists hamare.
Meaning: tool (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hawaiian |
|---|
| hāmale |
| hamare |
hāmale is a noun used to refer to the tool.
Did you know?
- Hawaiian phonology forbids words from ending in a consonant. To adapt 'hammer', the language adds the vowel e to the end to satisfy this structural rule.
- The word hāmale is a 'transliteration' rather than a translation. It mimics the sound of the English word to create a new Hawaiian word for a tool that did not previously exist in the language.
- While hāmale is the modern term for a metal hammer, an ancient Hawaiian would have used a pā to strike or a heavy stone called a pōhaku for similar tasks.
Examples in context
- E ʻimi aku i ka hāmale.Look for the hammer.
- He hāmale kēia no ka hana.This is a hammer for the work.
Example conversation
Leilani and Ikaika are fixing a broken fence together.
- LeilaniIkaika, aia iā ʻoe ka hāmale?Ikaika, do you have the hammer?
- IkaikaʻAe, aia ma koʻu lima.Yes, it is in my hand.
- LeilaniE hāpai mai ia hāmale mai.Bring that hammer here.
- IkaikaEia ia, Leilani.Here it is, Leilani.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hammer” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
