# Hawaiian phrases

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawaiian-phrases/112748>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 6, 2002, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawaiian-phrases/112748 "2002-06-06T22:46:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ezstrete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ea924/32.png) [@Ezstrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezstrete)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawaiian-phrases/112748/1 "2002-06-06T22:46:18Z")

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Back in the thirties, when I ‘was-a courtin’, there was a phrase in a pop tune that went[excuse spelling pls]:

“E komo hai ,nu kaua ,ika hale, welakahao”

As I remember, “E kome hai” is “welcome”-----but the remainder I would like refreshed.

Any help will be appreciated------

MAHALO

Also ,help me with" alii Nui"pls.

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**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawaiian-phrases/112748/2 "2002-06-07T01:06:12Z")

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Haole speaking: From what snippets I can recall, it means something literally like “come into our place-- into our home” and something at the end that I don’t know. Alii nui would mean something like big king or nobleman (not big Kahuna, I don’t think, dudes).

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**Author:** ![Ezstrete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ea924/32.png) [@Ezstrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezstrete)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawaiian-phrases/112748/3 "2002-06-07T16:58:51Z")

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Capybara

After thrashing around in an Hawaiian /english dictionary I find that you are about as right as I’m going to get.

I guess all of the Kanes and Wahines of my day have moved over to the mainland and gone into hiding.

It’s enough to make one all pupule!

Mahalo

EZ

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**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2002, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawaiian-phrases/112748/4 "2002-06-08T01:33:12Z")

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Aloha. 😃

You may be interested in/amused by this page:[http://gijoedaisy.tripod.com/bigkahuna/id5.html](http://gijoedaisy.tripod.com/bigkahuna/id5.html).

The phrase “(e) komo mai no kaua i ka hale welakahao” is there-- is that the song you were referring to?

“Ali’i nui” means “high chief”.

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**Author:** ![Ezstrete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ea924/32.png) [@Ezstrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezstrete)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2002, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawaiian-phrases/112748/5 "2002-06-08T04:15:44Z")

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Audreyk&Capybara

That was the song I remember, from back in the early 30’s.

It also was featured in a movie in '39 on a first date with the gal who’s still the better part of the team!

Thank you for the help

Or better yet—

MAHALO

Ez is outa here!