hoʻolohe
/ˌho.ʔoˈlo.he/
The Hawaiian verb for "listen" is hoʻolohe.
hoʻolohe means to pay attention to a sound, but depending on the context, it can also mean "to obey".
Meaning: to pay attention to a sound (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
hoʻolohe is used in the imperative mood when you want to give a command to listen.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable. The IPA is /ˌho.ʔoˈlo.he/.
Did you know?
- The verb hoʻolohe is used both for 'listening' and 'obeying' because in traditional Hawaiian culture the act of hearing a command was considered inseparable from the act of following it.
- Traditional Hawaiian pedagogy emphasizes hoʻolohe as a primary way of learning, as history and laws were passed down orally through listening and memorization.
- The glottal stop in hoʻolohe is represented by the symbol ʻ, called an 'okina, which functions as a full consonant and is essential for the word's correct meaning.
Examples in context
- Hoʻolohe mai i ka leo o ka moʻolelo i kēia pō.Please listen to the voice of the story tonight.
- Hoʻolohe i ka leo.Listen to the voice.
Example conversation
Kai and Noelani are sitting by the ocean at sunset.
- KaiNoelani, hoʻolohe i ka leo o ka moana.Noelani, listen to the sound of the ocean.
- NoelaniʻAe, he leo nani kēlā.Yes, that is a beautiful sound.
- KaiHoʻolohe i ka leo o ka makani pū.Listen to the sound of the wind, too.
- NoelaniʻO ia ka leo o ka ʻāina.It is the voice of the land.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “listen” translations and entries hoʻolohe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
