ʻukulele
/ˌʔu.kuˈle.le/
The Hawaiian word for small four-stringed guitar is ʻukulele.
The term refers to the small, four-stringed musical instrument. It is a noun used to identify the instrument itself.
Meaning: small four-stringed guitar (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the third syllable. It is pronounced /ˌʔu.kuˈle.le/.
Did you know?
- The name ʻukulele translates literally to 'jumping flea'.
- The ʻukulele is not actually a guitar but a descendant of the braguinha, a small instrument brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants in the late 19th century.
- The glottal stop, represented by the symbol ʻ at the start of ʻukulele, is a full consonant in Hawaiian. Omitting it changes the structure of the word.
Examples in context
- He ʻukulele kēia.This is a ukulele.
- Makemake au i ka ʻukulele hou.I want a new ukulele.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about music at home.
- KianaKiana, aia kou ʻukulele?Kiana, where is your ukulele?
- IkaikaAia ia ma luna o ka papa.It is on the table.
- KianaHiki mai mai e pahu i ka ʻukulele.Come and play the ukulele.
- IkaikaʻAe, e kī mai au!Yes, I will play!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ukulele” translations and entries ʻukulele, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ʻukulele, CC BY-SA 4.0.
