Absolute Beginner Conversational Hawaiian
Start from zero. Over eight weeks you’ll learn the sounds of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, its core sentence patterns, and how to count, tell time, and ask and answer simple questions.
Taught in EnglishSee a class in action
A new CH1A sampler video is coming soon.
Is this course for you?
- You’re brand new to ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, or you’ve only used Duolingo or a phrase app so far.
- You’d love to understand the words of the mele you sing or the hula you dance.
- You want to speak Hawaiian at home with keiki or moʻopuna, perhaps in immersion school.
Before you start: Nothing at all. No experience needed.
What you’ll learn
- The Hawaiian alphabet & pronunciation
- Basic reading skills
- The Pepeke model of phrase patterns
- The four basic Pepeke
- Pronouns (papani)
- Single-word modifiers (kāhulu memeʻa)
- Numbers (helu)
- Telling time on the hour
- Asking what, who and how many
- Past, present and future
- Commands, suggestions and “should”
Monday Sections
You sign up for the course, not a Section. Join whichever one suits you each week.
We guessed from your device. Travelling or on a VPN? Pick another.
| Section | Class time (Hawaiʻi) | Your time · |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | Mon 12:00 pm | |
| Section 2 | Mon 2:00 pm | |
| Section 3 | Mon 5:00 pm |
Hawaiʻi doesn’t change its clocks, so your local time may shift by an hour when yours change. Full schedule
Inside every class
Community Building TimeEach class opens with about twelve minutes for classmates to talk together in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, at whatever level you’re at, in a friendly, judgement-free space. Kumu Kaliko listens in and sends word hints in the chat.
Live teaching, then recordingsThe rest of the hour is live instruction. Every Section is recorded and posted with the combined class notes within 24 hours.
Your Kaiāulu course SpaceVideos, lesson PDFs and homework live in your course’s private Space, where you can also chat with classmates between classes.
“I was very nervous about signing up for the Zoom classes. I eventually plucked up courage and it was the best thing I ever did.”
Not sure CH1A is your level? A short level check is on its way. For now, our guide will point you to the right course.
Which course is right for me?