Basic Māori Vocabulary and Phrases

au

me / I

koe

you

ia

she / he

tēnā koe

hello to one person

pēhea

how

pai

good

kite

see

kōrua

you two

Koutou

you 3 or more people

Haere rā

goodbye to people going

E noho rā

goodbye to people staying

haere

go

noho

sit, stay, live (in an area)

Mōrena

Good morning

Pō mārie

good night

katoa

all

mihi

greeting

Matua

father, uncle, male of fathers generation, sir

whaea

Mother, aunty, female of mothers generation, ma'am

Koro

elderly male, grandfather, sir

Kui

elderly female, grandmother, mam

hoa

friend

Nau mai

Welcome

tōku

my (singular)

tō

your (singular)

wai

who

ingoa

name

tōna

his/hers

Nō

from

hea

where

ō

your (plural)

ōku

my (plural)

ōna

his/hers

whānau

family, birth

rā

day, sun

tēnei

this

rāua ko

and Joining 2 names eg. Bob and Fred

Rāhina

Monday

Rātū

Tuesday

Rāapa

Wednesday

Rāpare

Thursday

Rāmere

Friday

Rāhoroi

Saturday

Rātapu

Sunday

kohitātea

January

Huitanguru

February

Poutu-te-rangi

March

Paengawhāwhā

April

Haratua

May

Pipiri

June

Hongongoi

July

Here-turi-kōkā

August

Mahuru

September

Whiringa-ā-nuku

October

Whiringa-ā-rangi

November

Hakihea

December

tēhea

which (singular)

Marama

Month

Wiki

Week

tau

year

aha

what

te

the (singular)

ngā

the (plural)

kore

zero, none

tahi

one

rua

two

toru

three

whā

four

rima

five

ono

six

whitu

seven

waru

eight

iwa

nine

tekau

ten

rau

hundred

mano

thousand

Miriona

Million

kaute

count

nama

number, bill (money)

hia

how many

mātua

parents

kaumātua

grandparents, elders

iwi

tribe, people

hapū

sub tribe, pregnant

Maunga

mountain

Moana

Ocean, lake, large body of water

awa

river

marae

courtyard

tangata

person

whare tūpuna

ancestral house, meeting house

pepeha

proclamation of origin

waka

canoe, vehicle

Kāinga

home

Tūrangawaewae

place to stand

Nō reira

so, therefore

o

of

taha

side

runga

on

raro

under, below

waho

outside