ʻaʻole
/ʔaˈʔo.le/
The Hawaiian word for "no" is ʻaʻole.
ʻaʻole is used as a particle to express negation or to show disagreement.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
How do you pronounce it?
This word has 3 syllables. The stress is on the 2nd syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /ʔaˈʔo.le/.
Did you know?
- Because Hawaiian values harmony, people may sometimes say ʻae meaning 'yes' to acknowledge they heard a request, even if they cannot fulfill it.
- The word ʻaʻole is actually a combination of two words: ʻa, a prefix meaning 'not', and ʻole, which means 'without' or 'lacking'.
- In written Hawaiian, the ʻ in ʻaʻole is called an ‘okina, and omitting it can change the meaning of a word entirely.
Examples in context
- ʻAʻole!No!This example shows how to use ʻaʻole to express a simple negation.Tatoeba #7262583 by azraelgnosis, translation #4606529 by hito
- ʻAʻole, mahalo nuiNo, thank you very much
- He mea hiki ʻoleIt is impossible/not possible
- ʻAʻole pilikiaNo problem
- ʻAʻole, ʻaʻole au e hele.No, I will not go.
Example conversation
Keanu asks Leilani if she is tired.
- KeanuLuana, lei you?Leilani, are you tired?
- LeilaniʻAʻole, ua holo au i kēia mau lālā.No, I have a lot of energy.
- KeanuHiki iā kāua ke hele?Can we go?
- LeilaniʻAe, e hele kāua.Yes, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries ʻaʻole, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ʻaʻole, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
