e loaʻa kahi lā maikaʻi
The Hawaiian phrase for "have a great day" is e loaʻa kahi lā maikaʻi.
e loaʻa kahi lā maikaʻi is a friendly parting wish used to express the hope that someone enjoys the rest of their day.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "get a good day". The particle e is used to form an imperative or a wish, loaʻa means "to get" or "to find", kahi means "a/an", lā means "day" and maikaʻi means "good".
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle e at the beginning of the phrase marks it as a command or a wish, which is why it is used for well-wishing rather than a simple statement of fact.
Did you know?
- While lā means 'day', the phrase is often exchanged alongside a 'shaka' gesture, where the thumb and pinky are extended.
- The word lā for 'day' shares a distant linguistic root with the Malay word 'layar' meaning 'sail'.
- The word lā for 'day' is an interesting replacement in Hawaiian history. It was used to displace the word pō to refer to light or day during the period of David Malo.
Example conversation
Kiana and Kai are saying goodbye after a meeting.
- KianaUa like kēia hui me ka mea maikaʻi.This meeting was very good.
- KaiʻAe, ua holomua kākou.Yes, we made progress.
- KianaE loaʻa kahi lā maikaʻi, e Kai.Have a great day, Kai.
- KaiMahalo, e Kiana!Thank you, Kiana!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kahi, loaʻa, lā, CC BY-SA 4.0.
