Basic Maori Phrases and Vocabulary

Basic Phrases

• Kia ora (KEY-o-ra): Hello
• Haere mai (HAY-reh MY): Welcome
• Whakapapa (FAH-kah-PAH-pah): Genealogy/ancestry
• Whānau (FAH-now): Family
• Ka kitea (KAH KEE-teh-ah): Goodbye
• Mauri ora (MAH-oo-ree OH-rah): Good health
• Tēnā koe (TEH-nah KOH-eh): Hello to one person
• Tēnā koutou (TEH-nah KOO-toh): Hello to a group

Vocabulary

• Whare (FAH-reh): House
• Whenua (WEH-noo-ah): Land
• Ngā (NAH-ngah): The (plural)
• Tamariki (TAH-mah-ree-kee): Children
• Pōtae (POH-tie): Hat
• Waka (WAH-kah): Canoe
• Hui (HOO-ee): Meeting

Grammar

• Verb-subject-object word order
• Use of possessive pronouns (e.g., taku, "my")
• Use of articles (e.g., te, ngā) to indicate singular or plural
• Use of passive and active voice

Pronunciation

• Emphasis on vowel pronunciation (e.g., "a" is pronounced like "car")
• Use of macrons (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) to indicate vowel length
• Rolling "r" sound (e.g., "wh" is pronounced like "fur")
• Stress on the penultimate syllable in most words

Māori Culture

• Importance of whakapapa (genealogy) and whānau (family)
• Respect for tangata whenua (people of the land) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship)
• Significance of taonga (treasures) and tātai arorangi (star navigation)
• Value of manaakitanga (respect), whanaungatanga (kinship), and kōtuitanga (unity)
• Celebration of Matariki (Māori New Year) and other cultural events

Māori Language and Culture

Basic Phrases

• Kia ora: a greeting meaning "hello"
• Haere mai: a welcome phrase
• Whakapapa: refers to genealogy or ancestry
• Whānau: means "family"
• Ka kitea: a goodbye phrase
• Mauri ora: a phrase wishing good health
• Tēnā koe: a greeting to one person
• Tēnā koutou: a greeting to a group

Vocabulary

• Whare: means "house"
• Whenua: means "land"
• Ngā: a plural article meaning "the"
• Tamariki: means "children"
• Pōtae: means "hat"
• Waka: means "canoe"
• Hui: means "meeting"

Grammar

• Māori language follows a verb-subject-object word order
• Possessive pronouns are used, such as taku meaning "my"
• Articles te and ngā are used to indicate singular or plural nouns
• Both passive and active voice are used in the language

Pronunciation

• Emphasis is placed on vowel pronunciation, with "a" pronounced like "car"
• Macrons (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) are used to indicate vowel length
• The "wh" sound is pronounced like a rolling "r" sound
• Stress typically falls on the penultimate syllable in most words

Māori Culture

• Whakapapa (genealogy) and whānau (family) are considered highly important
• Respect is given to tangata whenua (people of the land) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship)
• Taonga (treasures) and tātai arorangi (star navigation) hold significant cultural value
• The values of manaakitanga (respect), whanaungatanga (kinship), and kōtuitanga (unity) are highly valued
• Cultural events, including Matariki (Māori New Year), are celebrated

Learn basic phrases and vocabulary in Maori, including greetings, farewells, and common words.