馃尯 Hawaiian phrases

How to Say "What's up?" in Hawaiian

The SPAIKING TeamJuly 27, 2026
Pehea?
"What's up?" in Hawaiian 路 say it like peh-heh-ah

The most natural way to say "What's up?" in Hawaiian is Pehea?. Tap the speaker above to hear it, then say it back out loud. That is the fastest way to make it stick.

Other ways to say it

Pehea l膩?
A more formal way to ask, often used in conversations.
O wai ke 驶ano?
A casual way to ask about someone's well-being.

When to use it

Use 'Pehea?' when greeting friends or acquaintances. It is a casual way to check in with someone. You can use it in both spoken and written conversations. Adding 'l膩' makes it slightly more formal.

Say it out loud, get corrected

Reading it is not the same as saying it. Practice "What's up?" and thousands more with an AI coach that listens.

Examples in Hawaiian

HawaiianEnglish
Pehea 驶oe?How are you?
Pehea l膩 i ke kula?How is school going?
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 'Pehea?' with 'Aloha', which is a greeting but not specifically asking how someone is.

The fastest way to remember it

Vocabulary you only read fades fast. Vocabulary you say out loud sticks. Hear Pehea?, repeat it a few times, then use it in a real sentence. SPAIKING lets you practice exactly that, speaking Hawaiian with a coach that corrects your pronunciation in real time. You can start with two free conversations.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use 'Pehea?' with strangers?

It's best to use it with people you know; with strangers, a more formal greeting is preferred.

Learn Hawaiian by speaking it

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