Incorporating Te Reo into Daily English
If you live in Aotearoa, te reo Māori is all around you. It’s the names of our places and it's in our songs; it's what we eat and how we speak about our environment. It's a large part of what makes the way we talk in New Zealand unique. But beyond just "borrowing" words, incorporating te reo into your daily English is a powerful way to live the Treaty Principles and show your support for te reo Māori:
- Partnership: Using both languages acknowledges we are two people sharing one home.
- Protection: By speaking the language, you are helping to protect a taonga (treasure) that was once under threat.
- Participation: Using more reo in the office, the supermarket, and around the dinner table contributes to the revitalisation and normalisation of te reo Māori.
Here is how you can start using more reo immediately, with words that actually fit into your daily life and tap into the reo you already know.
Common Greetings & Gratitude
These are the easiest entry points for any non-fluent speaker. They set a tone of respect and connection immediately.
| Phrase | Meaning / Usage | Context & Pro-Tips | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kia ora | Hi, bye, thanks, or affirmation. | The "Swiss Army Knife" of greetings. Use it for almost anything. | "Kia ora! Thanks for the help." |
| Tēnā koe / kōrua / koutou | Formal greeting / acknowledgment. | koe (1 person), kōrua (2 people), koutou (3+). Watch the macrons for long vowels! | "Tēnā koutou everyone, thanks for joining the call." |
| Tēnā tātou katoa | Formal greeting for everyone (including the speaker). | Use this when you want to include yourself in the collective group. | "Tēnā tātou katoa, let's start our hui with a karakia." |
| Ngā mihi | Thanks, regards, or acknowledgments. | Pronounce the 'ng' like the end of "sing." Very common for email sign-offs. | "I’ve attached the report. Ngā mihi, Matty." |
| Ka pai | Good, well done, or excellent. | Used for praise or as a casual, positive acknowledgment (like "cheers"). | "You finished already? Ka pai, that was fast!" |
| Aroha mai | I’m sorry; My apologies. | Literal meaning is "love to me," asking for understanding. | "Aroha mai, I’m running five minutes late." |
| Mōrena | Good morning (Casual). | A transliteration of "morning." Great for the office kitchen. | "Mōrena everyone! Who’s on the coffee run?" |
| Ata mārie | Good morning (Formal). | A more traditional way to acknowledge a "peaceful morning." | "Ata mārie, it’s a beautiful day!" |
| Haere mai | Welcome; Come. | Used to invite someone into a space or acknowledge their arrival. | "Haere mai! Come in and take a seat!" |
| Pōmārie | Good night | Literally translates to "Peaceful night." | "Pōmārie, e hoa. I'll see you tomorrow." |
Farewell Phrases: Haere rā vs. E noho rā
Something really choice about te reo Māori is your goodbyes change depending on whether you are the one staying or going.
| Phrase | Meaning / Usage | Context & Pro-Tips | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haere rā | Goodbye (to someone leaving). | Literally "Go there." Use this when you are the one staying and the other person is departing. | "Safe travels home, haere rā!" |
| E noho rā | Goodbye (to someone staying). | Literally "Stay there." Use this when you are the one leaving and the other person is staying behind. | "I'm heading home now, e noho rā and enjoy your evening." |
| Ka kite anō | See you again. | A very common, friendly way to end a conversation when you expect to see the person again soon. | "Great catching up today, ka kite anō next week." |
Essential Phrases, Words & Commands
These are super easy words & phrases to drop into your English conversations. They are short, sharp, and instantly understood by most Kiwis.
| Phrase | Meaning / Usage | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Āe / Kāo | Yes / No. | "Āe, I'll send that now" or "Kāo, not yet." |
| Āua | I don't know / Not sure. | "Will the meeting run late? Āua, maybe." |
| Kei te pai | It's fine / No problem. | "Sorry I missed your call." "Kei te pai, talk soon." |
| Taihoa | Wait / Hold on. | "Taihoa, let me just double-check that figure." |
| Whānau | Family / Close group. | "Best wishes to you and the whānau." |
| Mahi | Work / Job / Activity. | "Great mahi on that presentation yesterday." |
| Kōrero | Talk / Speak / Meeting. | "Let's have a quick kōrero before we start." |
| Kai | Food / To eat. | "Who's bringing the kai for the shared lunch?" |
| Whakarongo mai | Listen to me. | "Whakarongo mai everyone, I have an announcement." |
| E tū | Stand up. | "E tū, let's stretch before the next session." |
| E noho | Sit down. | "E noho everyone, let's get the hui started." |
| Titiro mai | Look this way. | "Titiro mai at the screen for a second." |
| Kia horo | Hurry up / Be quick. | "We're leaving in five minutes, kia horo!" |
| Turituri | Be quiet / Hush. | "Turituri please, the recording has started." |
| Aotearoa | New Zealand. | "It’s great to be back home in Aotearoa." |
| Kia tūpato | Be careful / Watch out. | "The stairs are slippery, kia tūpato." |
Māori Kupu (Words) for Daily Conversation
There are a ton of kupu (words) that you will know that you can drop into your kōrero. Here's a list of some words that pretty much anyone who has lived in Aotearoa will have picked up from the ether, the media, when they were in school or just from people using them more and more.
Drop a comment if you think I have missed some important ones!
A list that is by no means exhaustive, with some of the ideas (e.g. "tapu" & "mana") hugely simplified, and in no particular order:
| Kupu | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mahi | work | "I've got a heap of mahi to get through before the weekend." |
| kura | school | "The kids are excited to get back to kura and see their friends after the holidays." |
| puku | stomach | "I ate too much. My puku is so full." |
| e hoa | friend | "Thanks for helping with that, e hoa." |
| hui | meeting | "Can we catch up for a Zoom hui ?" |
| kōrero | chat, talk | "I had a kōrero with my boss about it." |
| whare | house | "Their whare is out by the beach." |
| whare paku | toilet | "I just need to go to the whare paku before we leave." |
| koha | gift, present | "They invited you, so make sure you take a koha." |
| tangi | funeral | "He's off today. He's at a tangi." |
| kai | food | "Can you bring some kai for the morning tea tomorrow? |
| aroha | love, compassion | "Ngā mihi for the support and aroha." |
| tapu | sacred, taboo, special | "You can't go there. It's tapu." |
| tika | correct, right, proper | "I think we should check it's tika first." |
| kaitiaki | guardian | "The local iwi are the traditional kaitiaki of this awa." |
| pātai | question | "Does anyone have any pātai?" |
| tangata whenua | local people, hosts | "How are we involving tangata whenua in the process?" |
| whenua | land | "It is crucial that we act as kaitiaki to protect the whenua for future generations." |
| manuhiri | guests | "Sorry I can't meet you; We've got manuhiri staying this weekend." |
| mauri | essential life force, spirit | "Taking time for yourself helps to restore your mauri." |
| taonga | treasure, precious thing | "Indigenous data is a taonga that requires guardianship." |
| rohe | boundary, territory of an iwi or hapū | "The iwi is currently negotiating the boundaries of their rohe with the Crown." |
| mana | authority, power, reputation | "She speaks with incredible mana." |