hauʻoli makahiki hou
/hau̯ˈʔo.li ma.kaˈhi.ki ˈhou̯/word by word
To say "happy new year" in Hawaiian, use hauʻoli makahiki hou.
You can expand this phrase to tailor your message. For example, you can say E hauʻoli makahiki hou iā ʻoe! to mean "Happy New Year to you!" To add a layer of respect and modesty to your greeting, you may use Me ka haʻahaʻa, hauʻoli makahiki hou!, which means "With humility, happy new year!"
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of hauʻoli (happy), makahiki (year) and hou (new).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Hawaiian, the adjective hou (new) follows the noun makahiki (year) that it modifies, resulting in the phrase makahiki hou.
How do you pronounce it?
/hau̯ˈʔo.li ma.kaˈhi.ki ˈhou̯/. The word has 7 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- Historically, the Makahiki season was a time when warfare was forbidden and the focus shifted to sports and honoring the god Lono.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the 'year' was not marked by a January 1st date but by the sighting of specific stars and the changing of the winds.
- The word makahiki shares a common ancestor with the Māori word Matariki, which refers to the Pleiades star cluster used to mark the new year in many Polynesian cultures.
Examples in context
- E hauʻoli makahiki hou kākou!Let us all have a happy new year!
- Hauʻoli makahiki hou i ka ʻohana.Happy New Year to the family.
Example conversation
Noelani and Keanu meet at a party on New Year's Day.
- NoelaniAloha, Keanu! Hauʻoli makahiki hou!Aloha, Keanu! Happy New Year!
- KeanuMahalo, Noelani! Hauʻoli makahiki hou iā ʻoe!Thank you, Noelani! Happy New Year to you!
- NoelaniHe lā maikaʻi kēia.This is a good day.
- KeanuʻAe, he lā maikaʻi loa.Yes, it is a very good day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hauʻoli, makahiki, hou) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hauʻoli, hou, makahiki, CC BY-SA 4.0.
