Genius Asian Learn Hawaiian Place Names in 5 minutes-Big Island, Hawaii
Learn Hawaiian Place Names in 5 Minutes: Big Island
Key Takeaways
- The Big Island has more attractions than Kauai, requiring 5 minutes instead of 3 to cover the major place names
- Hawaiian has only 13 letters with consistent pronunciation rules, making it learnable
- An authentic local person demonstrates correct pronunciation of major Big Island attractions
- Once you learn the vowel sounds, you can derive the pronunciation of almost any Hawaiian word
- This is the companion video to the Kauai version
Big Island Place Names
The Big Island of Hawaii has the most diverse landscape of any Hawaiian island, ranging from snow-capped mountains to tropical rainforests to active volcanic craters. This diversity means visitors encounter a wide range of place names, many of which can seem intimidating to pronounce.
This video features an authentic local person teaching the correct pronunciation of the Big Island’s major attractions and locations. Because the Big Island is larger and has more attractions than Kauai, this video runs slightly longer at five minutes.
Pronunciation Refresher
Hawaiian uses only 13 letters. The five vowels are consistently pronounced: A as “ah,” E as “eh,” I as “ee,” O as “oh,” and U as “oo.” Eight consonants (h, k, l, m, n, p, w, and the okina) round out the alphabet. Every syllable ends in a vowel. This consistency means that even long, seemingly complex words can be broken into simple syllable chunks.
Key Big Island Names Covered
The video covers essential place names including Kilauea, Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Kailua-Kona, Hilo, Akaka, Puuhonua o Honaunau, Pololu, Waipio, Hamakua, and many more. After watching, you should be able to confidently pronounce most Hawaiian names you encounter during your Big Island visit.
The Value of Trying
Even imperfect attempts at Hawaiian pronunciation are appreciated by local residents. It shows respect for the culture and language. Do not be afraid to try, and do not be embarrassed if you stumble. Most locals will gently correct you and appreciate the effort.