Yes, no and the essentials in Maori
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Maori words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Maori phrases in this lesson
- ĀeAH-eh
- Yes
- KāoKAH-oh
- No
- Ka paika PIE
- Okay
- Kāore au i te māramaKAH-oh-reh OH ee teh MAH-ra-ma
- I don't understand
- Ka taea e koe te kōrero Pākehā?ka TYE-a eh KWEH teh KOR-reh-roh PAH-keh-hah
- Do you speak English?
- Kōrero anō, koaKOR-reh-ror a-NOR, KOR-a
- Can you repeat that?
- Āta kōrero, koaAH-ta KOR-reh-ror, KOR-a
- Slowly, please
- He aha tēnei?heh A-ha TAY-nay
- What is this?
- Me whai au i...meh FIE OH ee
- I need...
- Ka taea e koe te āwhina i ahau?ka TYE-a eh KWEH teh AH-fee-na ee a-HOH
- Can you help me?
The long ā matters. People often nod with a quick lift of the eyebrows at the same time.
The plain answer to a yes or no question. To say something is not so, use kāore.
Literally good. Used for okay, great and well done, and heard in English sentences all over the country.
Mārama means clear, and also light and the moon. Anyone will switch to English happily.
Kōrero Pākehā means to speak English. Almost everyone does, so this is more of a courtesy.
Literally "speak again, please".
Āta means slowly and carefully.
Literally "I must have ...".