E `ōlelo Hawai`i kakau

E `ōlelo Hawai`i kakau.
Let’s speak Hawaiian.


Before the adoption of the Hawaiian alphabet and its diacritical markings, introduced by the missionaries in the early 1800s, the only form of written language in Hawai`i was the petroglyph (ki`i pōhaku).

The Hawaiian language utilizes five vowels:

	A – pronounced as a short or soft a, as in ah E – pronounced as a long a, as in hay I – pronounced as a long e, as in see O – pronounced as a long o, as in hope U – pronounced oo, as in moon

Seven consonants:

	H K (sometimes a T) L M N P W – usually a W sound at the beginning of words, a V sound inside words and in music

Around a dozen dipthongs:

	AI – pronounced ah>ee AE – pronounced eye AO – pronounced ow AU – pronounced oh EI – pronounced a, as in hay EU – pronounced ee>yew IA – pronounced yea, as in hooray IĀ – pronounced yah OE – pronounced oh>ay `OI – pronounced oy, as in toy OU – pronounced oh>oo

And two diacritical marks essential to proper pronunciation:

	` the `okina or glottal stop, requiring a slight pause - the kahakō or macron, used to place emphasis on a vowel

The links below provide some basic vocabulary definitions, phrases and links to additional resources, including Hawaiian typefaces:


	`Ōlelo Basics	`Ōlelo Body	`Olelo Kalo	`Ōlelo Places	`Ōlelo `Ukulele

	`Ōlelo `Āina	`Ōlelo Phrases	`Olelo Proverbs	`Ōlelo Constructs	`Ōlelo Resources