How to speak Pidgin: words to get you started

HONOLULU – Pidgin is a mix of the languages spoken by Hawaiian, Filipino, Chinese, Puerto Rican and other workers who toiled in Hawaii’s sugar plantations.

Here are some examples of common Pidgin vocabulary words, their meanings and the languages that influenced them:

Aisos: Oh my god! (Ilocano and Spanish)

Aurite: Alright (English)

Babooz: Idiot (Portuguese)

Bambucha: Huge (Portuguese)

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Bocha: Bathe (Japanese)

Bumbai: Otherwise; Or else; Later (English)

Choke: A lot; Many (English)

Grindz: Food (English)

Hammajang: Messed up (Hawaiian and English)

Howzit: A greeting; How are you? (English)

Manini: Small; Stingy (Hawaiian)

Niele: Nosy (Hawaiian)

Pau: Finished (Hawaiian)

Puka: Hole (Hawaiian)

Scoops: News; Gossip (English)

Shishi: Urinate (Japanese and Portuguese)

Shoots: In agreement; Let’s do it. (English)

Spahk: See; Look (English)

Tantaran: Show off; Boastful (Japanese and Tagalog)

Wikiwiki: Fast; Quick; Hurry (Hawaiian)