ʻau
/ˈʔau̯/
The Hawaiian word for swim is ʻau. Wiktionary also lists ʻauʻau.
Meaning: move through water (verb)
Ways to say it
| Hawaiian | IPA |
|---|---|
| ʻau | /ˈʔau̯/ |
| ʻauʻau | /ˌʔau̯ˈʔau̯/ |
ʻau is used to signify the general action or state of swimming or to swim. It can also carry a broader meaning of moving, flowing or traveling through a medium.
Which one should you use?
The base form ʻau is a versatile root that can mean to swim, move or flow. In contrast, the reduplicated form ʻauʻau is the more common specific verb used to describe the activity of swimming and it is used to emphasize that the swimming is being done repeatedly or continuously.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔau̯/
Did you know?
- In Hawaiian culture, the concept of ʻau extends beyond water to describe the movement of the wind or the flow of a current.
- The root of the word ʻau can be traced back to the Proto-Austronesian word *kaSiw, connecting it to a vast family of languages across the Pacific.
- The use of reduplication in ʻauʻau is a common Hawaiian grammatical feature used to indicate a continuous or repeated action.
Examples in context
- Makemake au e ʻau.I want to swim.
Example conversation
Two friends are standing on the beach.
- NoelaniHe waimana kēia lā e ʻau ai.Today is a great day to swim.
- KoaʻAe, he oihi ka wai!Yes, the water is calm!
- NoelaniE ʻau kākou i ka pōkole.Let's swim a short distance.
- KoaHe manaʻo maikaʻi kēlā, Noelani.That is a good idea, Noelani.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swim” translations and entries ʻau, ʻauʻau, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ʻau, ʻauʻau, CC BY-SA 4.0.
