Maori Cheatsheet
Unique Features
- Indigenous language of New Zealand
- Polynesian language closely related to Tahitian and Hawaiian
- Emphasis on oral tradition and storytelling
- Uses macrons to indicate long vowels
- Pronunciation guide includes glottal stops and vowel length
Greetings and Phrases
- Kia ora - Hello
- Tēnā koe - Greetings (to one person)
- Tēnā kōrua - Greetings (to two people)
- Tēnā koutou - Greetings (to three or more people)
- Kei te pēhea koe? - How are you?
- Kei te pai - I’m good
- Ka kite anō - See you later
Numbers
- Tahi - One
- Rua - Two
- Toru - Three
- Whā - Four
- Rima - Five
- Ono - Six
- Whitu - Seven
- Waru - Eight
- Iwa - Nine
- Tekau - Ten
Vocabulary
- Whānau - Family
- Kura - School
- Waka - Canoe
- Marae - Meeting house
- Hapū - Sub-tribe
- Iwi - Tribe
- Aroha - Love
- Mana - Authority
- Whakapapa - Genealogy
- Kaitiakitanga - Guardianship
Resources