The Maori course
Learn Maori ten words at a time
Te Reo Māori
Ten games of ten words: the hundred most useful Maori words and expressions you could live on for years, from greetings and ordering food to numbers, small talk and getting around. Play a lesson in the box beside its words, and the next one starts itself.
Maori challenge
Do you know the essentials? 25 quick questions from across the course. Score high and you are ready for the trip.
Maori · Lesson 1 of 10
Greetings and politeness
Hello, thanks, please: the ten openers everything else builds on.
- Kia orakee-a O-ra
- Hello
- Kia orakee-a O-ra
- Hi
- Ata marieA-ta ma-REE-ay
- Good morning
- Po mariePO ma-REE-ay
- Good night
- Tino mihi nuiTEE-no MEE-hi NOO-ee
- Thank you very much
- MihiMEE-hi
- Thanks
- He aha akehe A-ha A-ke
- You're welcome
- Tena koaTE-na KO-a
- Please
- Aroha maia-RO-ha MY
- Excuse me
- E noho rae NO-ho RA
- Goodbye
Maori · Lesson 2 of 10
Order anything by pointing
One beer please, one of these please, the bill: survive any menu.
- Kotahi pia, tena koako-TA-hee PEE-a, TE-na KO-a
- One beer, please
- Kotahi o ēnei, tena koako-TA-hee o AY-nay, TE-na KO-a
- One of these, please
- Kotahi kape, tena koako-TA-hee KA-pe, TE-na KO-a
- One coffee, please
- E rua, tena koae ROO-a, TE-na KO-a
- Two, please
- Kotahi atu, tena koako-TA-hee A-too, TE-na KO-a
- One more, please
- E hia te utu?e HEE-a te OO-too
- How much is it?
- Te nama, tena koate NA-ma, TE-na KO-a
- The bill, please
- Koa kia... ?KO-a kee-a
- May I...?
- Kia ora!kee-a O-ra
- Cheers!
- Kia orakee-a O-ra
- Bless you
Maori · Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials
The tiny words that carry half of every conversation.
- AeAH-e
- Yes
- KaoKAH-o
- No
- Āe, kia paiAH-e, kee-a PYE
- Okay
- Āe, kāore he raruAH-e, KAH-o-re he RA-roo
- Sure, no problem
- Ehara au i te mohioeh-HA-ra AU i te MO-hee-o
- I don't know
- Kāore au e māramaKAH-o-re AU e MA-ra-ma
- I don't understand
- E kōrero ana koe i te Reo Pākehā?e KO-rero A-na KOE i te RAY-o PAKE-ha
- Do you speak English?
- Iti ihoI-tee I-ho
- A little
- Āe, tērā peaAH-e, TAY-ra PAY-a
- Of course
- Kei te pai te katoakay te PYE te ka-TO-a
- Everything is fine
Maori · Lesson 4 of 10
Numbers and money
Counting, prices, paying by card or cash.
- Kotahiko-TA-hee
- One
- RuaROO-a
- Two
- ToruTO-roo
- Three
- WhaFA
- Four
- TekauTE-kau
- Ten
- Rima tekauREE-ma TE-kau
- Fifty
- Kotahi rauko-TA-hee RAU
- One hundred
- DolaDO-la
- New Zealand dollar
- Ma te kati kōurama te KA-tee KO-oo-ra
- By card
- Ma te moni tūturuma te MO-nee TOO-too-roo
- In cash
Maori · Lesson 5 of 10
At the supermarket
Bread, milk, a bag, nothing else thanks: the checkout routine.
- Rewenare-WAY-na
- Bread
- Mirakami-RA-ka
- Milk
- TīpuTEE-poo
- Cheese
- WaiWHY
- Water
- He peke?he PE-ke
- A bag?
- Kei a koe he...?kay a KOE he
- Do you have...?
- I hea te...?i HAY-a te
- Where is...?
- TēneiTAY-nay
- This one
- Kāore atuKAH-o-re A-too
- Nothing else
- Kia kahakee-a KA-ha
- Have a nice day
Maori · Lesson 6 of 10
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, a compliment to the kitchen.
- He tepu mō te ruahe TE-poo mo te ROO-a
- A table for two
- Te papamenu, tena koate PA-pa-me-NOO, TE-na KO-a
- The menu, please
- Kotahi kape espresoko-TA-hee KA-pe es-PREY-so
- One espresso
- He ipu wainahe I-poo WYE-na
- A glass of wine
- He pia tūturuhe PEE-a TOO-too-roo
- Draft beer
- HangiHANG-ee
- Hangi
- Ka nui te haika NOO-ee te HAH-ee
- It's delicious
- Kāore he...KAH-o-re he
- Without
- Ki utaki OO-ta
- To take away
- Pupuri i te toengapoo-POO-ri i te TOE-enga
- Keep the change
Maori · Lesson 7 of 10
Small talk and neighbors
How are you, nice day, see you soon: superficial and proud of it.
- Kei te pēhea koe?kay te PAY-hay-a KOE
- How are you? (polite)
- Kei te pēhea?kay te PAY-hay-a
- How are you? (casual)
- Kei te paikay te PYE
- I'm fine
- A koe?a KOE
- And you?
- He aha te mea hou?he A-ha te MAY-a HOU
- What's new?
- Ka nui te raumatika NOO-ee te rau-MA-tee
- Nice weather, huh?
- Ka kite anoaka KEE-te A-no-a
- See you soon
- Kia pai te ahiahikee-a PYE te a-hee-A-hee
- Have a nice evening
- Tuku mihi ki tō whānauTOO-koo MEE-hee ki TO FAH-nau
- Say hi to the family
- Ko te pai me te arohako te PYE me te a-RO-ha
- All the best
Maori · Lesson 8 of 10
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- I hea te whare iti?i HAY-a te FAH-re I-tee
- Where is the toilet?
- MauiMAU-ee
- Left
- Matauma-TAU
- Right
- Ki tōna i muaki TO-na i MOO-a
- Straight ahead
- Koneiko-NAY
- Here
- Konāko-NA
- There
- Waka herehereWA-ka he-re-HE-re
- Bus
- Te pokapū waka rererangite PO-ka-POO WA-ka re-re-RAN-gee
- Train station
- Kotahi pīka, tena koako-TA-hee PEE-ka, TE-na KO-a
- One ticket, please
- Tū ki konei, tena koaTOO ki ko-NAY, TE-na KO-a
- Stop here, please
Maori · Lesson 9 of 10
Time and days
Today, tomorrow, later, the weekend.
- I tēnei rāi TAY-nay RA
- Today
- ĀpōpōAH-po-po
- Tomorrow
- Inanahii-na-NA-hee
- Yesterday
- Ināianeii-NĀ-i-a-NAY
- Now
- I murii MOO-ri
- Later
- E hia te haora?e HEE-a te HAO-ra
- What time is it?
- Poututupo-TOO-too
- Monday
- Satuerasa-TOO-e-ra
- Saturday
- RāhinaRA-hee-na
- Sunday
- Te wiki-atuate WI-kee A-too-a
- The weekend
Maori · Lesson 10 of 10
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- Āwhina!AH-fee-na
- Help!
- Karanga ki te tohunga rongoaka-RANG-a ki te to-HUNG-a rong-O-a
- Call a doctor
- Pirihimanapi-ri-hi-MA-na
- Police
- Te whare rongoāte FAH-re rong-O-a
- Pharmacy
- Te whare hauorate FAH-re HAU-o-ra
- Hospital
- Kua ngaro aukoo-a NGAH-ro AU
- I'm lost
- Kāore au e paiKAH-o-re AU e PYE
- I don't feel well
- Taku whakawhiti korerota-KOO FAH-ka-FEE-tee KO-rero
- My phone
- Kua tahaekoo-a TA-hay-e
- It was stolen
- Kei te terekay te TE-re
- It's urgent
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