Hauʻoli lā hānau
everyday
To wish a girl "happy birthday" in Hawaiian, say Hauʻoli lā hānau. The Hawaiian wish does not change for a girl, but you can add her name after e, as in Hauʻoli lā hānau e Leilani. It is also called Aloha lā hānau.
Meaning: birthday wish (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Hawaiian | Note |
|---|---|
| Hauʻoli lā hānau | everyday |
| Aloha lā hānau | casual |
| Hauʻoli lā hānau e Leilani | with a name |
The word e goes before a name when you speak to someone directly. Hawaiian does not mark the gender of the person being wished.
What does it mean word for word?
Hauʻoli means "happy", lā means "day" and hānau means "birth". Together they say "happy day of birth".
How do you pronounce it?
The mark ʻ is the ʻokina, a short pause like the break in "uh-oh". Say the vowels clearly, as in "how-OH-lee lah HAH-now".
Did you know?
- The Hawaiian word kaikamahine means "girl", and keiki means "child".
Examples in context
- Hauʻoli lā hānau, e ke kaikamahine nani.Happy birthday, beautiful girl.
- Hauʻoli lā hānau, e Kalani.Happy birthday, Kalani.
Example conversation
Kekoa gives a card to his friend Leilani on her birthday.
- KekoaHauʻoli lā hānau, e Leilani.Happy birthday, Leilani.
- LeilaniMahalo, e Kekoa.Thank you, Kekoa.
- KekoaE ʻai kākou i ka keke.Let us eat the cake.
