I stay pau with dat

This phrase is universally used across Hawaii by locals of all ages to declare that they are finished with a task, a situation, or even a relationship. The word "pau" is a foundational Hawaiian word meaning "done" or "finished," and when combined with the Pidgin auxiliary verb "stay" (which indicates a current state of being), it emphasizes that the person is currently and definitively done.

It is appropriate for both casual workplace environments—like clocking out of a shift—and personal situations, such as expressing frustration when you are fed up with someone's drama. However, because it carries a blunt, definitive tone, it can come across as dismissive or rude if used formally with a boss or an elder when they are asking for further assistance.

Tony slammed his hand against the steering wheel of the company Tacoma, glaring at the endless line of brake lights stretching down the Kapa'a bypass. They had been crawling past the same papaya tree for twenty minutes. In the passenger seat, Dante was scrolling through his phone, loudly playing videos of lifted Yotas while Kekoa snored in the back, his hardhat slipping over his eyes.

"You guys going take that weekend shift at the Poipu site?" Dante asked, not looking up from his screen. "Foreman said time and a half, plus they buying bentos from Mark's Place."

Tony let out a heavy sigh and inched the truck forward another two feet. "No ways. I stay pau with dat. Last time they promised bentos, we got stuck pouring concrete till eight in the dark and all they had left was two cold Spam musubis. They can find somebody else to grind in the dirt on a Saturday."