Howzit
everyday, Pidgin
In Hawaiian Pidgin the usual way to say "hello" is Howzit, short for "how is it". People also say Aloha, and friends call out Eh, brah to get attention.
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Hawaiian | Note |
|---|---|
| Howzit | everyday, Pidgin |
| Eh, brah | casual |
| Aloha | Hawaiian |
Howzit works as hello and also as "how are you". A typical answer is "Good, you?" or "Pretty good".
Which one should you use?
Aloha is Hawaiian, but all of Hawaii uses it for hello and goodbye. Eh is a short attention word, and brah is a form of "brother" used between friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Hawaiian Pidgin is the English-based creole of Hawaii. It is not the same as the Hawaiian language.
Did you know?
- Aloha can mean love, affection and kindness as well as hello and goodbye.
Examples in context
- Howzit, brah.Hi, bro.
- Aloha, Auntie.Hello, Auntie.
- Eh, howzit, long time no see.Hey, hi, long time no see.
Example conversation
Kimo meets his friend Noelani at a market in Hilo.
- KimoHowzit, Noelani.Hi, Noelani.
- NoelaniEh Kimo, long time no see.Hey Kimo, long time no see.
- KimoYeah, I been busy.Yeah, I have been busy.
