Hauʻoli lā hoʻomaha loa
/hau̯ˈʔo.li ˈlaː ˌho.ʔoˈma.ha ˈlo.a/word by word
In Hawaiian, "happy retirement" is expressed as Hauʻoli lā hoʻomaha loa.
This phrase is a greeting used to wish someone a joyful life after they stop working.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase has 10 syllables. The stress is on the second syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /hau̯ˈʔo.li ˈlaː ˌho.ʔoˈma.ha ˈlo.a/.
Did you know?
- The word lā in this phrase shares a common ancient root with the Malay word layar and the Tagalog word layag.
- In Hawaiian culture, the concept of 'rest' in hoʻomaha often extends beyond physical sleep to include spiritual and mental restoration.
- The component hoʻomaha is built from a causative prefix, meaning the word is structured to describe the act of 'causing' or 'making' someone rest.
Example conversation
Koa is attending a retirement party for his colleague Noelani.
- KoaHauʻoli lā hoʻomaha loa, Noelani!Happy retirement, Noelani!
- NoelaniMahalo nui, Koa.Thank you very much, Koa.
- KoaHe aha kou hoʻāpā?What are your plans?
- NoelaniE hoʻomaha au i ka puka nai a pau.I will relax all day long.
