Pidgin is not a corruption of
English, nor is it
slang—linguists (scientists who study language) consider it a completely separate language from Standard English. It uses some English words, though differently and pronounced differently (which is why it’s
hard to understand). It also uses words from Hawaiian, Japanese, and other languages
It has its own grammar, rhythm etc. Some important words and grammar are:
Stay—in Hawaiian Pidgin, “stay” means “to be” like in Portuguese “estar” (location now, temporary state now)
Where you stay? (Where do you live right now?)
Da
fishing stay GOOD! (
Fishing is GOOD right now!)
Where da keys stay? (Where are the keys?)
Pau /pow/ (Pau means all done or finished.) This word is used all the
time:
Pau eat (done eating, finished eating—cleaned your plate)
Pau
work (finished
work—done working)
Slippah (slipper) Slippah means flip-
flop or
thong sandal—rubber sandals. The universal footwear, slippahs are worn constantly by everyone—at some courtroom doors there are signs that worn “No Slippahs”
Try (please, attempt to)
Try look (please look at that, Look at that, attempt to look at..
Try come (please come)
Try eat (please eat this)
Like (prefer, if it be alright, ok)
You like go fish? (would you like to go
fishing with me?)
No like (do not prefer, would rather not, would not like to, not ok)
Nah, I no like (no thanks, I’d rather not)
Can (I am able, I can do it)
No Can (I am not able, I can’t do it)
No have/Have (I
don’t have any, I have some)
Not! (that’s not true, said about what one has just said or what someone else has just said, said in a joking tone usually, but usually meant)
