mahalo nui loa
/maˈha.lo ˈnu.i ˈlo.a/
mahalo nui loa is the Hawaiian way to say thank you so much.
mahalo nui loa is used to express a high level of gratitude, meaning thank you very much.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of mahalo (thanks/gratitude), nui (great/big) and loa (very/extremely).
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify that you are thanking a person, you can add iā ʻoe (to you) at the end of the phrase, resulting in mahalo nui loa iā ʻoe.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /maˈha.lo ˈnu.i ˈlo.a/. The word has 7 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word mahalo is distantly related to the Tagalog word masarap and the Malay word sedap, both of which mean 'delicious'.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, mahalo is not just a polite phrase but a spiritual acknowledgment of the interconnectedness of all things.
- A common gesture accompanying mahalo is a slight nod of the head or a hand placed over the heart to show sincerity.
Examples in context
- Mahalo nui loa iā ʻoe.Thank you so much to you.
- Mahalo nui loa i ka ʻike.Thank you so much for the information.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mahalo nui loa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries loa, mahalo, mahalo nui loa, nui, CC BY-SA 4.0.
