kaʻu moʻopuna wahine
/ˈka.ʔu mo.ʔoˈpu.na waˈhi.ne/word by word
The phrase "my granddaughter" in Hawaiian is kaʻu moʻopuna wahine.
This phrase is used to refer to the daughter of one's son or daughter.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of kaʻu (my), moʻopuna (grandchild/descendant) and wahine (female/woman).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈka.ʔu mo.ʔoˈpu.na waˈhi.ne/. The stress is on the 1st of 7 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word moʻopuna begins with moʻo, the Hawaiian word for 'lizard'. In traditional folklore, lizards are often seen as ancestral guardians or manifestations of ancestors.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the bond between moʻopuna and their grandparents was often considered stronger than the bond between children and their parents.
- The word wahine shares a common ancestor with the word for 'woman' found in many other Austronesian languages, tracing back thousands of years to the Proto-Austronesian root *bahi.
Examples in context
- Aloha kuʻu moʻopuna wahine. Pehea kou lā i keia lā?Hello my granddaughter. How is your day today?
- He kaʻu moʻopuna wahine.She is my granddaughter.
- He ʻoluʻolu kaʻu moʻopuna wahine.My granddaughter is lovely.
Example conversation
Kai and Leilani are looking at a photo album.
- KaiO wai kēia?Who is this?
- LeilaniʻO kaʻu moʻopuna wahine kēia.This is my granddaughter.
- KaiHe nani loa ʻo ia.She is very lovely.
- LeilaniʻAe, he lani kaʻu moʻopuna wahine.Yes, my granddaughter is a treasure.
