In Hawaii, people mostly speak English , and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian) is also an official language of the state. Many residents also use Hawaiian Pidgin in everyday conversation, and other languages are spoken across the islands too.

Quick Scoop

  • English is the most widely spoken language in Hawaii.
  • Hawaiian is the indigenous language and one of Hawaii’s two official languages.
  • Pidgin is commonly heard in casual speech, especially in local communities.
  • Hawaii is very multilingual, so you’ll also hear languages like Japanese, Filipino/Tagalog, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, and more.

Simple takeaway

If you visit Hawaii, English will get you by almost everywhere. If you hear locals switch into Pidgin or Hawaiian, that’s part of the islands’ cultural mix, not a sign that English isn’t used.

TL;DR

Hawaii is mainly English-speaking , but it also officially recognizes Hawaiian , and many people speak Pidgin plus a wide mix of other languages.