Te Reo Māori
Māori
Austronesian (Polynesian)
Also known as: Maori
Māori (te reo Māori) is an Eastern Polynesian language, the indigenous language of New Zealand (Aotearoa), with ~186K speakers (2018 census; ~50K daily fluent users + larger learner population). Co-official with English and New Zealand Sign Language under the 1987 Te Reo Māori Act, recognised as a treasure (taonga) protected by the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. Linguistically Māori is closely related to Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian, and Hawaiian within the Eastern Polynesian branch — Polynesian voyagers reached New Zealand around 1250-1300 CE from East Polynesia. Latin orthography developed by missionaries from 1814, refined by the 1820 Williams primer; uses 5 vowels (a/e/i/o/u with macron-marked long forms ā/ē/ī/ō/ū) and 10 consonants. Verb-initial VSO order. Major revitalization since 1980s through kōhanga reo (language nest preschools, est. 1982), kura kaupapa Māori schools, Māori Television (2004), and the Māori Language Commission (Te Taura Whiri).
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Māori
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Polynesian)
| Meaning | Māori | Tuamotuan | Cook Islands Māori | Rapanui | Pukapukan | Tokelauan | Marquesan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | wai /wai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | wai /wai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | ahi /ahi/ | ahi /ahi/ | aʻi /aʔi/ | ahi /ahi/ | awi /awi/ | afi /afi/ | ahi /ahi/ |
| Sun | rā /ɾaː/ | rā /raː/ | rā /raː/ | raʻā /ɾaʔaː/ | la /la/ | lā /laː/ | ʻoumati /ʔoumati/ |
| Moon | marama /maɾama/ | marama /marama/ | marama /marama/ | mahina /mahina/ | malama /malama/ | māhina /maːhina/ | mahina /mahina/ |
| Star | whetū /ɸetuː/ | fetū /fetuː/ | etū /etuː/ | hetuʻu /hetuʔu/ | wetū /wetuː/ | fetu /fetu/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ |
| Night | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ |
| Rain | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ |
| Snow | hukarere /hukaɾeɾe/ | — | kiona /kiona/ | — | kīona /kiːona/ | kiona /kiona/ | — |
| Wind | hau /hau/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | tokerau /tokeɾau/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | metani /metani/ |
| Earth | oneone /oneone/ | repo /repo/ | one /one/ | ʻoʻone /ʔoʔone/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | ʻepo /ʔepo/ |
| Stone | kōhatu /koːhatu/ | pōfatu /poːfatu/ | toka /toka/ | maʻea /maʔea/ | watu /watu/ | fatu /fatu/ | keʻa /keʔa/ |
| Mountain | maunga /mauŋa/ | māunga /maːuŋa/ | maunga /mauŋa/ | maʻunga /maʔuŋa/ | maunga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | — |
| Sea | moana /moana/ | tai /tai/ | tai /tai/ | tai /tai/ | tai /tai/ | moana /moana/ | tai /tai/ |
| Mother | whaea /ɸaea/ | metua vahine /metua vahine/ | māmā /maːmaː/ | matuʻa vahine /matuʔa vahine/ | matua wawine /matua wawine/ | mātua /maːtua/ | kui /kui/ |
| Father | matua /matua/ | metua tāne /metua taːne/ | pāpā /paːpaː/ | matuʻa tāne /matuʔa taːne/ | matua tāne /matua taːne/ | tamana /tamana/ | motua /motua/ |
| Daughter | tamāhine /tamaːhine/ | tamahine /tamahine/ | tamaine /tamaine/ | poki vahine /poki vahine/ | tamāwine /tamaːwine/ | afafine /afafine/ | — |
| I | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ |
| You | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ |
| We | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tatou / matou /tatou / matou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ |
| Name | ingoa /iŋoa/ | ingoa /iŋoa/ | ingoa /iŋoa/ | ingoa /iŋoa/ | ingoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | ikoa /ikoa/ |
| Person | tangata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | ʻenana /ʔenana/ |
| Head | upoko /upoko/ | upoko /upoko/ | upoko /upoko/ | puʻoko /puʔoko/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | upoko /upoko/ |
| Eye | karu /kaɾu/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | taringa /taɾiŋa/ | taringa /tariŋa/ | taringa /taɾiŋa/ | taringa /taɾiŋa/ | talinga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | puaʻika /puaʔika/ |
| Nose | ihu /ihu/ | ihu /ihu/ | putāngiʻu /putaːŋiʔu/ | ihu /ihu/ | iyu /iðu/ | ihu /ihu/ | ihu /ihu/ |
| Mouth | waha /waha/ | vaha /vaha/ | vaʻa /vaʔa/ | haha /haha/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | haha /haha/ |
| Tooth | niho /niho/ | niho /niho/ | niʻo /niʔo/ | niho /niho/ | nio /nio/ | nifo /nifo/ | niho /niho/ |
| Tongue | arero /aɾeɾo/ | arero /aɾeɾo/ | arero /aɾeɾo/ | arero /aɾeɾo/ | alelo /alelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | ʻeʻo /ʔeʔo/ |
| Hand | ringa /ɾiŋa/ | rima /rima/ | rima /ɾima/ | rima /ɾima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | ʻima /ʔima/ |
| Foot | waewae /waewae/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ |
| Heart | ngākau /ŋaːkau/ | hōupo /hoːupo/ | ngākau /ŋaːkau/ | mahatu /mahatu/ | loto /loto/ | fatu /fatu/ | houpo /houpo/ |
| Bone | kōiwi /koːiwi/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ |
| Blood | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ |
| Poop | tūtae /tuːtae/ | tūtae /tuːtae/ | tūtae /tuːtae/ | tūtaʻe /tuːtaʔe/ | tūtae /tuːtae/ | tae /tae/ | — |
| Love | aroha /aɾoha/ | aroha /aroha/ | aroʻa /aɾoʔa/ | hanga /haŋa/ | aloa /aloa/ | alofa /alofa/ | hanahana /hanahana/ |
| Tree | rākau /ɾaːkau/ | rākau /raːkau/ | rākau /raːkau/ | tumu rākau /tumu ɾaːkau/ | lākau /laːkau/ | lākau /laːkau/ | tumu kahi /tumu kahi/ |
| Dog | kurī /kuɾiː/ | kuri /kuri/ | puakaoa /puakaoa/ | paihenga /paiheŋa/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kuli /kuli/ | peto /peto/ |
| Cat | ngeru /ŋeɾu/ | — /—/ | ngiao /ŋiao/ | kati /kati/ | pusi /pusi/ | puhi /puhi/ | piki /piki/ |
| Fish | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ |
| Bird | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ |
| Butterfly | pūrerehua /puːɾeɾehua/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepa /pepa/ | — | pepe /pepe/ | — |
| Egg | hēki /heːki/ | tōuo /toːuo/ | ua /ua/ | māmari /maːmaɾi/ | wuamoa /wuamoa/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ | mamaʻi /mamaʔi/ |
| Bear | pea /pea/ | — | pea /pea/ | oso /oso/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | — |
| Horse | hōiho /hoːiho/ | puārehenua /puaːrehenua/ | ʻoroʻenua /ʔoɾoʔenua/ | hoi /hoi/ | oloenua /oloenua/ | holofanua /holofanua/ | ekeuna /ekeuna/ |
| House | whare /ɸaɾe/ | fare /fare/ | ʻare /ʔaɾe/ | hare /haɾe/ | wale /wale/ | fale /fale/ | haʻe /haʔe/ |
| Milk | miraka /miɾaka/ | — | ū /uː/ | ū /uː/ | wū /wuː/ | huāhuhu /huaːhuhu/ | — |
| Honey | miere /mieɾe/ | — | meri /meri/ | meri /meɾi/ | meli /meli/ | meli /meli/ | — |
| Salt | tote /tote/ | miti /miti/ | miti /miti/ | miti /miti/ | miti /miti/ | māhima /maːhima/ | paʻatai /paʔatai/ |
| Wine | wāina /waːina/ | — | uaina /uaina/ | vino /vino/ | uwaina /uwaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | — |
| Rice | raihi /ɾaihi/ | — | raiti /ɾaiti/ | raiti /ɾaiti/ | — | — | — |
| Chocolate | tiakarete /tiakaɾete/ | — | chocolate | — | — | — | — |
| Iron | rino /ɾino/ | kāuri /kaːuri/ | ʻāuri /ʔaːuri/ | auri /auɾi/ | āuli /aːuli/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | — |
| Wheel | wīra /wiːɾa/ | huira /huira/ | porotātā /poɾotaːtaː/ | — /—/ | — | uili /uili/ | — |
| Silk | hiraka /hiɾaka/ | — | tīrika /tiːɾika/ | sea /sea/ | tilika /tilika/ | hilika /hilika/ | — |
| Book | pukapuka /pukapuka/ | puta /puta/ | puka /puka/ | puka /puka/ | puka /puka/ | tuhi /tuhi/ | — |
| Eat | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | unu /unu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ |
| Sleep | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ |
| One | tahi /tahi/ | tahi /tahi/ | taʻi /taʔi/ | tahi /tahi/ | tayi /taði/ | tahi /tahi/ | tahi /tahi/ |
| Two | rua /ɾua/ | rua /rua/ | rua /rua/ | rua /ɾua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | ʻua /ʔua/ |
| Three | toru /toɾu/ | toru /toɾu/ | toru /toɾu/ | toru /toɾu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | toʻu /toʔu/ |
| Four | whā /ɸaː/ | hā /haː/ | ʻā /ʔaː/ | hā /haː/ | wā /waː/ | fā /faː/ | hā /haː/ |
| Five | rima /ɾima/ | rima /ɾima/ | rima /ɾima/ | rima /ɾima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | ʻima /ʔima/ |
| Hundred | rau /ɾau/ | hānere /haːnere/ | ʻānere /ʔaːnere/ | rau /ɾau/ | lau /lau/ | helau /helau/ | ʻau /ʔau/ |
| Hello | kia ora /kia oɾa/ | — /—/ | kia orāna /kia oɾaːna/ | ʻiorana /ʔioɾana/ | kia orana /kia oɾana/ | malo ni /malo ni/ | kaʻoha /kaʔoha/ |
| Thank you | ngā mihi /ŋaː mihi/ | — /—/ | meitaki /meitaki/ | maururu /mauɾuɾu/ | meitaki /meitaki/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | mauruuru /mauɾuuɾu/ |
| Good | pai /pai/ | maitaki /maitaki/ | meitaki /meitaki/ | riva /ɾiva/ | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ | meitaʻi /meitaʔi/ |
| New | hou /hou/ | hoou /hoou/ | ʻou /ʔou/ | hoʻou /hoʔou/ | wou /wou/ | fou /fou/ | hou /hou/ |
| Red | whero /ɸeɾo/ | kura /kuɾa/ | muramura /muɾamuɾa/ | mea mea /mea mea/ | kula /kula/ | kukula /kukula/ | kuʻa /kuʔa/ |
| White | mā /maː/ | tea /tea/ | teatea /teatea/ | tea tea /tea tea/ | tea /tea/ | paepae /paepae/ | tea /tea/ |
| Black | mangu /maŋu/ | kere /kere/ | kerekere /keɾekeɾe/ | uri uri /uɾi uɾi/ | uli /uli/ | uli /uli/ | keʻekeʻe /keʔekeʔe/ |
| Green | kākāriki /kaːkaːɾiki/ | matie /matie/ | matie /matie/ | rito mata /ɾito mata/ | yengayenga /ðeŋaðeŋa/ | lanu meamata /lanu meamata/ | — |
| Blue | kahurangi /kahuɾaŋi/ | ninamu /ninamu/ | auīka /auiːka/ | moana /moana/ | yengayenga /ðeŋaðeŋa/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | moho /moho/ |
| Cuckoo | koekoeā /koekoeaː/ | — | karavia /kaɾavia/ | — | — | — | — |
| Woof | au au /au au/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Computer | rorohiko /ɾoɾohiko/ | — | rorouira /ɾoɾouiɾa/ | — | — | komepiuta /komepiuta/ | maihini ʻoʻo uiʻa /maihini ʔoʔo uiʔa/ |
| Wi-Fi | ahokore /ahokoɾe/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sushi | huhi /huhi/ | — | sushi | — | — | — | — |
| Tea | tī /tiː/ | — | tī /tiː/ | — | — | — | — |
| Coffee | kawhe /kaɸe/ | — | kaope /kaope/ | — | — | — | — |
| Sugar | huka /huka/ | — | tuka /tuka/ | tihota /tihota/ | — | — | — |
| Orange | ārani /aːɾani/ | anani /anani/ | ʻānani /ʔaːnani/ | — | — | moli /moli/ | — |
| Ninety-nine | iwa tekau mā iwa /iwa tekau maː iwa/ | — | iva ngaʻuru mā iva /iva ŋaʔuɾu maː iva/ | iva ʻahuru mā iva /iva ʔahuɾu maː iva/ | — | iva hefuluiva /iva hefuluiva/ | — |
| Internet laughter | KTK | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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