ALPHABET MATCHING GAME VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS
Why learn Maori?
Māori is an Eastern Polynesian language spoken by about 149,000 Māori people, the indigenous population of New Zealand.You can communicate in Maori. Your marketable skills in the global economy are improved when you master Maori. Aquiring a second language can improve your skills and grades in math and English. The study of Maori teaches and encourages respect for other people.
How Long Does it Take to Learn Maori?
*** NOTES *** Maori is the indigenous language of New Zealand and an official language alongside English. Maori speakers know it simply as ‘te reo’ - ‘the language’. It is most closely related to Tahitian and Cook Islands Maori, and less closely to other Polynesian languages such as Hawaiian. The language started to go into decline after WW2 but revitalisation efforts, including providing education in Maori, mean that it has never become extinct.
Maori Alphabet & Pronunciation
The modern Māori alphabet has 15 letters, two of which are digraphs. Macrons are the standard means of indicating long vowels.
(a)
(ā)
(e)
(ē)
(ha)
(ī)
(i)
(ka)
(ma)
(na)
(nga)
(o)
(ō)
(pa)
(ra)
(ta)
(u)
(ū)
(wa)
(wha)
Basic Phrases in Maori
| Hello | Kia ora |
|---|---|
| Goodbye | Kia koa |
| Yes | āe |
| No | Kāo |
| Excuse me | Whakarerea |
| Please | Tēnā |
| Thank you | Kia mihi |
| You are welcome | 'Nau mai |
| Do you speak english | E korero koe i te reo Ingarihi? |
| Do you understand | Te maarama ra koe? |
| I understand | Kei te marama ahau |
| I do not understand | Kaore au e marama |
| How are you | Kei te pēhea koe? |
| Fine thanks | Pai, whakawhetai! |
| What is your name | Ko wai tou ingoa? |
| My name is | Koaku toku ingoa |
| Pleased to meet you | Ka pai te whakatau ia koe |
Maori Grammar
Maori Nouns
| Man | Tangata |
|---|---|
| Woman | Wahine |
| Boy | Tama |
| Girl | He kotiro |
| Cat | Ngeru |
| Dog | Kurī |
| Fish | Ika |
| Water | Wai |
| Milk | Te waiu |
| Egg | Hua manu |
| House | Whare |
| Flower | Puawai |
| Tree | Rakau |
| Shirt | Koti |
| Pants | Hake |
Maori Adjectives
Colors in Maori
| Black | Pango |
|---|---|
| White | Ma |
| Red | Whero |
| Orange | Karaka |
| Yellow | Kowhai |
| Green | Kākāriki |
| Blue | Kikorangi |
| Purple | Papura |
| Pink | Māwhero |
| Gray | Hina |
| Brown | Parauri |
Numbers in Maori
| Zero | Mea kore |
|---|---|
| One | Kotahi |
| Two | Tokorua |
| Three | Toru |
| Four | E wha |
| Five | E rima |
| Six | Ono |
| Seven | E whitu |
| Eight | E waru |
| Nine | Nine |
| Ten | Tekau (Ptekau) |
| Eleven | Kotahi tekau mā tahi |
| Twelve | Tekau ma rua |
| Twenty | Rua tekau |
| Thirty | Toru tekau |
| Forty | E wha tekau |
| Fifty | Rima tekau |
| Sixty | Ono tekau |
| Seventy | Whitu tekau |
| Eighty | Waru tekau |
| Ninety | Iwa tekau |
| Hundred | Rau |
| Thousand | Mano |
Maori Verbs
| To be | Kia |
|---|---|
| To have | Ki te |
| To want | Ki te hiahia |
| To need | Ki te hiahia |
| To help | Kia awhinatia |
| To go | Ki te haere |
| To come | Haere mai |
| To eat | Ki te kai |
| To drink | Hei inu |
| To speak | Ki te korero |
Building Simple Sentences
More Complex Maori Sentences
| And | Me ngā |
|---|---|
| Or | Ranei |
| But | Engari |
| Because | Na te mea |
| With | Me |
| Also | Ano hoki |
| However | Heoi |
| Neither | Ano hoki |
| Nor | E kore hoki |
| If | Ki te |
| Then | No reira |
Useful Maori Vocabulary
Maori Questions
| Who | Nei |
|---|---|
| What | Aha |
| When | Ana |
| Where | Hea |
| Why | Aha |
| How | Me pehea |
| How many | Hia |
| How much | Hia |
Days of the Week in Maori
| Monday | Rāhina |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Rātū |
| Wednesday | Rāapa |
| Thursday | Rāpare |
| Friday | Rāmere |
| Saturday | Rāhoroi |
| Sunday | Rātapu |
| Yesterday | Inanahi |
| Today | Inanahi |
| Tomorrow | āpōpō |
Months in Maori
| January | Kohi-tātea |
|---|---|
| February | Hui-tanguru |
| March | Poutū-te-rangi |
| April | Paenga-whāwhā |
| May | Haratua |
| June | Pipiri |
| July | Hōngongoi |
| August | Here-turi-kōkā |
| September | Mahuru |
| October | Oketopa |
| November | Whiringa-ā-rangi |
| December | Hakihea |
Seasons in Maori
| Winter | Hotoke |
|---|---|
| Spring | Puna |
| Summer | Raumati |
| Autumn | Ngahuru |
Telling Time in Maori
| What time is it | Mai te aha te taime? |
|---|---|
| Hours | Haora |
| Minutes | Meneti |
| Seconds | Hēkona |
| O clock | Haora |
| Half | Hawhe |
| Quarter past | Tuhinga o mua |
| Before | Tuhinga o mua |
| After | I muri |
