This Hawaiian language text, intended for self-learning as well as classroom use, presents the principal conversational and grammatical patterns of the language in 67 lessons, each containing English-Hawaiian dialogues. Emphasis is given to idiomatic speech, and a vocabulary of approximately 800 words, selected on the basis of frequency of usage and cultural importance, is introduced.

The frequent humor of the lessons makes Elbert's Spoken Hawaiian an enjoyable learning experience. Also noteworthy is the author's inclusion of old Hawaiian in the text - legends, songs, stories - to enable the student to read the rich Hawaiian traditional literature in the vernacular language.

The illustrations by noted artist Jean Charlot are a charming and amusing complement to the text.

Spoken Hawaiian will help the student not only to read and speak the language, but at the same time to appreciate the rich heritage of the Hawaiian past and its literature.
of the sixty-seven lessons is a sample dialog in Hawaiian with English translation.