Commonly used Maori words in New Zealand English

This list is always being added to



A

 * Aotearoa
 * New Zealand (literally "Land of the Long White Cloud")


 * aroha
 * love

E

 * etu
 * stand up

H

 * haka
 * ceremonial dance, often a challenge


 * hapu
 * subtribe. cf iwi


 * Haere mai
 * welcome, come here


 * Haere ra
 * good bye; go well

I

 * iwi
 * tribe ('nation' or 'people') cf hapu

K

 * kai
 * food


 * kehua
 * ghost


 * Kia Ora
 * Informal greeting, e.g. "Hello" or "Hi." Less common uses: thank you, good bye.


 * kiwi
 * the national bird of New Zealand (actually only the Maori word for one of the five types of bird that we know of as kiwi). In New Zealand English, it also refers to New Zealanders (people), but never the fruit that most non-New Zealanders know as kiwis (which is always "kiwifruit" in New Zealand)

M

 * maunga
 * mountain


 * moana
 * sea, ocean

N and Ng

 * nui
 * big (e.g. arohanui = much love; wharenui = big house/big building)

P

 * Papatuanuku
 * the earth mother. Often shortened to Papa (e.g. Rangi and Papa: sky father and earth mother)

R

 * Ranginui
 * the sky father. Often shortened to Rangi (e.g. Rangi and Papa: sky father and earth mother)


 * roto
 * lake

T

 * tipuna
 * elders, often spiritual advisers


 * turangawaewae
 * "standing place," homeland, the place where you are the host to any visitors

U

 * utu
 * revenge, balance, equilibrium

W and Wh

 * waiata
 * traditional Maori songs, esp. action songs


 * whanau
 * family (can be extended family)


 * whanaungatanga
 * relationships, kinship


 * whare
 * house or building (e.g. whare kai = kitchen)

Numbers

 * 1) tahi
 * rua
 * 1) toru
 * wha
 * 1) rima
 * ono
 * 1) whitu
 * 2) waru
 * iwa
 * 1) tekau