hale
/ˈha.le/
The Hawaiian word for house is hale.
hale refers to a human abode. It can also be part of phrases describing specific types of buildings, such as ka hale hoʻokipa, which refers to a place where guests or travelers are received and entertained.
Meaning: human abode (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈha.le/.
Did you know?
- The word hale is a cognate with the Māori word whare and the Samoan word fale.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, a hale was often built without nails, using coconut sennit cord to lash wooden beams together.
- The word hale can be used to describe things that are not buildings, such as a hale kī, which is a 'key cabinet' or a small box.
Examples in context
- E komo mai i ka'u hale.Welcome to my house.
- E kipa i ka hale noho.Come visit the house.
- E nānā i ka hale hōʻikeʻike.Look at the model home.
- He hale hou kēia.This is a new house.
- E hele ana māua i ka hale.We are going to the house.
Example conversation
Ikaika and Leilani are walking through a neighborhood.
- IkaikaHe hale nani kēia, ʻōlelo mai!This is a beautiful house, tell me!
- LeilaniʻAe, he hale hou ia.Yes, that is a new house.
- IkaikaO wai ka hale kēlā?Whose house is that one?
- LeilaniHe hale a ka ʻohana ia.That is a house of the family.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “house” translations and entries hale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
