eBook Learn Hawaiian at Home (English and Hawaiian Edition) epub

This was my first book for learning Hawaiian. The text is well structured and it systematically teaches various sentence structures. Each chapter has dialogs, exercises, conversations, and two stories about the islands. One of the stories is written in very simple Hawaiian, the second is more challenging. Although each lesson starts with a vocabulary list, this list does not necessarily coincide with the words used in the exercises. Sometimes a word is used in the exercise shows up in the vocabulary list two chapters later. There is an English and a Hawaiian word list at the end of the book but not all words in the book are covered. So, you will need a separate dictionary.
Nevertheless, I consider this an excellent book for home study. It comes with two CDs where many of the exercises, all the vocabulary lists and conversations, the stories and the songs are spoken by native Hawaiians.

I found 4 great tools for learning Hawaiian, at Amazon. Your success in learning will depend on using them in the right order. They're all great.

Beginner level

1. "Learn Hawaiian at Home", by Kahikahealani Wight

If you're new to the language, this book will walk you patiently through all the basics. Slow? Yes, but it was just what I needed. There are two cassette tapes included, with all the vocabulary, dialogs, reading material and even songs! I found the package reasonably priced.

Beginner to intermediate

2. "Ka Lei Ha'aheao--Beginning Hawaiian", by Alberta Pualani Hopkins

For continuing what you learned in "Learn Hawaiian at Home", this is an excellent book. It will take you all the way through all the Hawaiian grammar, and there are lots and lots of dialogs, giving variations on what you learn.

The downside? Cassette tapes are available, and I know my progress would be much faster if I had the big bucks to buy them. I don't.

Intermediate to advanced

3. Instant Immersion CD

Good points: Very natural-sounding Hawaiian, and lots of it

Downside: If you're a beginner, this will knock the wind out of your sails. The lessons have reading passages, some with very difficult grammar.

No printed matter comes with the CDs. You have to download it from the internet.

Some vocabulary from the lessons are NOT explained. You'll need a big Pukui-Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary to find out the meanings. Not exactly user-friendly!

Still, if you love hearing the lilt of Hawaiian spoken as much as I do, you may opt to get this.

Intermediate to advanced

4. "Let's Speak Hawaiian" by Dorothy M. Kahananui & Alberta P. Anthony

Too difficult for beginners, as it was for me! Explanations are minimal. An exorbitantly-priced tape set is available, but I couldn't afford it.

I was always frustrated with myself for not being able to understand this book. However, after doing a fair amount of learning through the first two books given above, I found that "Let's Speak Hawaiian" is a wonderful extension to what I know. Get this one last!

This book is great to learn this beautiful language. The audio is a little fast for a first time learner but it is easy to go back and forth. The shipping was extremely fast! There was a dent in the top of the book but other than that the book and audio tapes were in perfect condition! The book is a super great tool to learn Hawaiian and is a great source if you were to go and need something to learn from.

Excellent

Exactly what I need

Love it

This appears to be one of the few listening recordings of the Hawaiian language available at this price and at a level which beginners can readily understand. Although sadly, my trip to Kaua'i did not encounter any natives, and I did not need the knowledge gained, I nevertheless was glad to see a smile or two by hotel clerks that I was able to greet. According to this book, if accurate, many of the locals in Kaua'i mispronounce village names. I listened to the recordings over and over again and felt as prepared as I could have been in only three weeks. The book is small, but with an easy to read sized font. I will treasure it and use it again if I ever decide to visit the islands again. My kayak guide was impressed, though she herself was a kama 'aina. Please note that I used this book in conjunction with the University's of Hawai'i's Na Kai Ewalu, however that book is far more difficult to use written as it is for natives.

reasonably priced and good to have book and cd