Hāʻauʻoli lā hānau
The Hawaiian phrase for "happy birthday" is Hāʻauʻoli lā hānau.
This phrase is used to express good wishes to someone on their birthday.
Meaning: good wishes for a birthday (intj)
Which one should you use?
Hāʻauʻoli lā hānau is the standard way to say the phrase, while Ho'omaika'i 'ia 'oe ma kou lā hānau is a more formal version.
Did you know?
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the concept of 'birth' is closely tied to genealogy, and knowing one's lineage is often considered more important than the specific date of birth.
- The word lā in Hāʻauʻoli lā hānau meaning 'day' comes from a Proto-Austronesian root that originally referred to a 'sail'.
- The word hānau used in the phrase is a direct relative of the Māori word whānau, which refers to 'family' or 'extended family'.
Example conversation
Koa greets Leilani at her party.
- KoaHāʻauʻoli lā hānau, Leilani!Happy birthday, Leilani!
- LeilaniMahalo nui, Koa!Thank you very much, Koa!
- KoaHe lā maikaʻi kēia.This is a great day.
- LeilaniʻAe, haʻaheo au.Yes, I am proud.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hānau, lā, CC BY-SA 4.0.
