I was very fortunate to have learnt some basic Maori words on my first few days to New Zealand when I first travelled there in 2018.
Why, you ask?
It’s not that Kiwis don’t use English in New Zealand, but the Māori language or te reo māori is used very commonly in New Zealand.
It’s used in everyday life when you meet Kiwis, and in the names of things and places around New Zealand.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to know Māori to travel to New Zealand.
But it’s always more fun if you do, so you can better understand the country, its culture, places, and people.
For example – Did you know Kaikōura gets its name from ‘kai’ which means food or to eat, and ‘koura’ (crayfish) because of an age-old tale of a traveller who had a meal of crayfish while passing by the peninsula?
I must disclaim that I’ve never learnt the Māori language formally, and this list of Māori word meanings is purely from my own research and from my time spent in New Zealand.
I’ve also had Kiwi friends who use some Māori basics frequently when speaking with me and picked some up during my working holiday in New Zealand.
Ready to learn some basic Maori words to enrich your time in New Zealand? Let’s go!
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links and I may get a small commission if you purchase through my links below, at no additional cost to you.
Want to kickstart your Maori learning journey? I chanced upon this free audiobook on the basics of Maori and found it really easy to listen to! You can also consider getting a Maori phrasebook to learn a phrase a day.
52 Basic Maori Words And Phrases
About New Zealand
- Te Reo Māori – The Māori language. The Māori language is an official language of New Zealand, made official in 1987.
- Aotearoa – The contemporary Māori name for New Zealand, which means ‘land of the long white cloud’ when loosely translated.
Greetings And Salutations
- Kia ora – Hello, also used when wishing someone well. Can also be used as the Māori word for thank you.
- Haere mai – Māori word for welcome, which you’ll see very commonly while in New Zealand.
- Mōrena – Mōrena’s meaning in Māori is ‘good morning’
- Ahiai mārie – Good afternoon
- Pō mārie – Good evening
- Kei te pēhea koe? – How are you?
- Ka kite anō – See you later, sometimes shortened to ka kite
- Mā te wā – See you next time
- Haere rā – Māori word for goodbye (to someone leaving)
- Hei kona rā – How to say goodbye in Māori to someone staying
- Tēnā koe – Formal version of hello and used only when addressing one person. You’ll see this in correspondences like emails
- Tēnā koutou katoa – Used to address three or more people in a formal setting
- Ngā mihi – Ngā mihi’s translation is close to ‘regards’ and is often used at the end of emails or formal letters
- Aroha nui – With much love. If you want to say ‘I love you’ in Maori, it’s ‘ka nui taku aroha ki a koe’.
- Te pai katoa – All the best in Māori
Food
- Kai – The Maori word for ‘food’ or ‘to eat’.
- Kai moana – Food from the sea or seafood
- Hāngi – A traditional way of cooking food that uses steam and heat from stones on the ground.
Fun fact: You can see what hāngi is like during a cultural experience at Mitai Māori Village in Rotorua. We even got to have meat cooked through the hāngi after the whole experience. The smokiness of the meat was truly something else!
- Kia mākona – To eat well, a phrase used at the start of a meal and the Māori version of the French’s ‘bon appétit’.
- Puku – Stomach
People
- Whānau – Family
- Tāne – Man or male
- Wahine – Woman or female
- E hoa – Friend
- Whakapapa – One’s geneology
- Iwi – Used to refer to a tribe
Things To Do And Feelings
- Mahi – Māori word for ‘work’
- Moe – Māori word for ‘sleep’
- Ātaahua – Maori word for ‘beautiful’
- Harikoa – Maori word for ‘happy’
- Haka – A traditional ceremonial war dance
- Aroha – Love
Places
- Whare kai – Dining hall
- Whare paku – Toilet
- Awa – River
- Moana – Sea
- Kura – School
- Whenua – Land or one’s homeland
Other Commonly-Used Māori Words & Phrases
- Kia kaha – To stay strong, usually used to cheer someone on
- Ko [your name] ahau – Used to introduce yourself and literally means ‘I am [your name]’. In this instance, ‘ahau’ means I in Māori.
- Kia piki te ora – Get well soon in Māori
- Āe – Maori word for yes
- Kāo – No
- Tērā pea – Maybe or perhaps
- Iti – Small or little
- Nui – Large or many
- Motu – Island. This was commonly used when I lived on Waiheke Island and the residents would lovingly refer to our island as the motu.
- Pounamu – Greenstone or jade. Pounamu necklaces have special spiritual significance in Māori culture.
- Koha – A gift or present
- Ahi – Fire
What Language Is Spoken In New Zealand?
English, Te reo Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language are the three official languages in New Zealand.
Most of New Zealand speaks English, and this was the official language for many years until Māori was officially recognised in 1987 as an official language.
This is a huge shift from when it was banned in schools for most of the 20th century.
FAQs For Basic Maori Words
What Are 5 Basic Maori Words Every Traveller To NZ Should Know?
- Kia ora – Hello. You’ll hear this everywhere you go in New Zealand, whether from Māoris or even fellow travellers. Also used interchangeably for Māori ‘thanks’.
- Haere Mai – Welcome, a word most often seen when you enter places.
- Tēnā Koutou – You’ll hear this sometimes when you’re in a large crowd or on a guided tour. This is used to address a crowd of more than three people.
- Kei te pēhea koe – This means ‘how are you’ and you can respond with ‘kei te pai’ (good) or ‘tino pai’ (really good).
- Kia kaha – To tell someone to be strong and to cheer them on.
Can New Zealanders Speak Māori?
Only one in 100 New Zealanders can speak Māori proficiently, though there’s been a recent spike in interest in the language.
When Can I Say Kia Ora?
You can say ‘kia ora’ anytime you’d like to greet someone, say goodbye to them or thank them. You can even use it on the phone or at the start of an email.
Everyone in New Zealand would know the meaning of ‘kia ora’ and you’re likely to get a friendly ‘kia ora’ back in return too!
What Is The Most Common Maori Word?
te, i, ki, a, mā, ō are some of the most common Māori words. These aren’t actual nouns per se, but are function or grammar words.
How Do You Respond To Kia Ora?
To respond to ‘kia ora’, you can say ‘kia ora’ back if it’s a greeting. Or you can simply say ‘thank you’ to acknowledge the greeting.
How Do Maori People Say Hello?
‘Kia ora’ is the simplest way that Maori people say hello.
How Do You Say Hello In NZ Slang?
‘Kia ora’ can be taken to mean ‘hello’ in NZ slang, though it’s actually not slang, but the Māori language.
It’s so commonly used that people outside of New Zealand may have also heard of it. Besides ‘hello’ it also can mean ‘take care’ and a phrase to wish someone well.
What Is ‘Good Morning’ In New Zealand Language?
Mōrena is a way of saying ‘good morning’ in New Zealand’s language of te reo Māori.
How Do You Say Thank You In Māori?
You can say ‘tēnā koe’ or ‘kia ora’ to say ‘thank you’ in Māori, though it is ‘tēnā kōrua’ to two people and ‘tēnā koutou’ to three or more people.
How Do You Reply To Ka Pai?
‘Ka pai’ means ‘well done’ or ‘congratulations’ and you can just say ‘thank you’ in response to someone congratulating you.
What Is 100 In Māori?
100 in Maori is ‘kotahi rau’.
I hope this article has left you with some knowledge of basic Maori words and a newfound appreciation of the Māori language.
I’ve had many experiences in New Zealand speaking with native Māori speakers who insert Māori seamlessly into our conversations.
Sometimes at free community lunches or events, they encourage you to take food freely when it’s time for ‘kai’ and to contribute on a ‘koha’ (gift or gift money) basis.
At other times they say ‘kia kaha’ (to stay strong) when they know you’re going through a difficult time.
Or sometimes it’s simply a ‘kia ora’ with a warm smile.
It’s amazing to know the nuances of the Māori language and to pick up some Māori words here and there, especially if you intend to be in the country for a while.
Let me know if this article has helped you in any way during your time in Aotearoa!
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