Sistah
slang, Pidgin
In Hawaiian slang "sister" is Sistah, the Pidgin spoken form. Many people also say Sis, and locals use sistah to address a female friend as well. It is also called Kaikuahine.
Meaning: female sibling (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hawaiian | Note |
|---|---|
| Sistah | slang, Pidgin |
| Sis | casual |
| Kaikuahine | Hawaiian, a man's sister |
Sistah can mean a real sister or a close female friend. Its male partner is bruddah.
Which one should you use?
The Hawaiian language has separate words depending on who speaks. A man's sister is kaikuahine, while a woman uses kaikaina for a younger sister and kaikuaʻana for an older one.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Slang here means Hawaiian Pidgin, the local English-based creole of Hawaii.
Did you know?
- In Hawaiian, sibling words depend on both gender and relative age, which is why one English word needs several Hawaiian ones.
Examples in context
- My sistah is coming over.My sister is coming over.
- Eh sistah, where you going.Hey sister, where are you going.
- Dis is my sis, Leilani.This is my sister, Leilani.
Example conversation
Makoa introduces his sister Leilani to his Friend at a family barbecue.
- MakoaDis is my sistah, Leilani.This is my sister, Leilani.
- LeilaniNice fo meet you.Nice to meet you.
- FriendEh, nice fo meet you too.Hey, nice to meet you too.
