What Does Aloha Mean?

Just as your plane touches the ground you hear the greeting from the flight attendant, “Aloha, and welcome to Hawaii.” You grab your bags and exit the plane and you’re greeted with another “Aloha.” Throughout the islands you will hear the word “Aloha” probably more than once in the course of your day. You’ll hear it at restaurants, stores, and even passer-by’s on the street.

But what does it mean? Aloha is not a word with a simple translation. It doesn’t mean just one thing. Aloha has several meanings. But it’s so much more than just a word.

Aloha is a form of greeting, to say hello, welcome. But it’s also a form of farewell, or to say goodbye. It’s also used as an expression of love and affection.

But more than just a word, aloha is also a way of life. You may hear the phrase “spreading the aloha spirit.” What exactly does that mean? To answer that question, let’s break down the word into two parts.

The Hawaiian word “alo” means “presence” or “share” and the word “ha” means “breath of life” or “essence of life.”

So the word aloha is something that you experience, your interaction with life, passion, joy, something that’s present within you. But at the same time, it’s something that you share, something that is spread to those around you, sharing that energy and joy that is within you.

So what does “Aloha” mean? It really depends on how you use the word and in what context. It’s not a simple word to explain. But it is a beautiful word with many meanings. And it’s the way the Hawaiians live their everyday lives.

So in closing, I bid you much Aloha while you’re here visiting the islands. Have fun and spread that Aloha joy to others.