Kuputaka te reo Māori
Te reo Māori reference guide
Here are some te reo Māori words you may come across on our website or digital channels such as social media.
You may notice we use words such as Kiwi instead of Kiwis. This reflects te reo Māori, which does not include the letter “s” in its alphabet or use “s” to form plurals. We do this to show our respect for the language.
Some words or phrases are linked to the Māori Dictionary so you can learn more about the kupu and hear how they are pronounced.
Our definitions are based on how each kupu is used in context on our website, so they may not include every possible meaning. We acknowledge that te reo Māori includes regional dialects, and in particular recognise the dialect of Taranaki, our home base. For the purposes of our communications, we use widely understood, nationally recognised forms of te reo Māori. If you can’t find the word or meaning you’re looking for, visit the Māori Dictionary for more detailed definitions and pronunciation.
Supporting links
Kupu beginning with:
I
| Kupu | Definition |
|---|---|
| iwi | tribe/local tribe |
R
K
M
| Kupu | Definition |
|---|---|
| mahi | work |
| mana | power |
| manaaki | hospitality, care |
| Mānawatia a Matariki | Welcome to Matariki, celebrate Matariki |
| Manawatū | what does the name mean? |
| mana whenua | authority over land or territory |
| Māori | indigenous New Zealander, indigenous person from Aotearoa New Zealand |
| marae | open area in front of the main meeting house |
| Matariki | Māori New Year and the Pleiades star cluster (Maramataka) |
| Mōrena | Good morning |
| motu | island, country, land |
T
| Kupu | Definition |
|---|---|
| Tairāwhiti | Gisborne region |
| Tangata Tiriti | post-Treaty peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand |
| tangata whenua | the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand |
| taonga | treasure |
| tapu | sacred restriction |
| tautoko | support |
| te ao | the world |
| te ao Māori | the Māori world |
| Tauranga | what does the name mean? |
| Te Ika a Māui | The North Island (The fish of Māui) |
| Te Matau-a-Māui | Hawke's Bay region |
| Te Moana-a-Toitehuatahi | Bay of Plenty |
| tēnā koe | formal greeting to one person |
| tēnā kōrua | formal greeting to two people |
| tēnā koutou | formal greeting to three or more people |
| tēnā koutou katoa | hello to you all (to three or more people) |
| tēnā tātou katoa | formal greeting to everybody present |
| te reo Māori | the Māori language |
| Te Tiriti o Waitangi | Treaty of Waitangi |
| Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington |
| Te Wiki o te Reo Māori | Māori Language Week |
| tikanga | cultural practices |