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Vocabulary for a lesson

Māori Flash Cards

Click the card to reveal the translation, then click again for the next word.

Lessons 1–102 · 540 unique words · Alphabetical order

1. a — [a name follows] | Not translatable into an English word; nominal particle, used before names and pronouns: a Mere, a kōrua, a ia.
2. aha — what
3. ahakoa — although
4. ahatia — what happened to (pass of aha)
5. ahau — I, me
6. ahi — fire
7. ahiahi — early evening, afternoon
8. ai — Not translatable into an English word; verbal particle; used in various subordinate structures, for example relative clauses, adverbials, ...ai
9. ake — up, upwards (Various uses and meanings, eg upwards, as in: piki ake, titiro ake; comparative as in: nui ake; own, as in: tōku whānau ake)
10. ake, ake, ake — for ever and ever
11. ako — to learn, to teach
12. aku — my, mine (plural form of taku, neutral for possession category)
13. ana — indeed, when, if
14. anake — only, just, alone
15. anei — here, by me
16. anō — again, also (Various meanings, eg again; also, too; self [reflexive] as in: ki a ia anō)
17. ao — world, dawn, cloud
18. Aotearoa — New Zealand
19. ara — to rise (v); path (n)
20. aroha — love, sympathy, compassion
21. arā — over there, away from us both; that is, namely
22. ata — morning, shadow
23. atu — away from current orientation (often not translatable by a separate English word)
24. atua — god
25. au — I, me
26. aua — those (previously mentioned, plural of taua)
27. auau — to bark, howl
28. awa — river, stream
29. e — by; of course; a term of address follows; [in the future]; particle used in a negation
30. ehara — exclamation: sure enough, without a doubt; not
31. engari — but
32. haere — go, come
33. haerenga — journey (n); travel (v)
34. haka — to perform traditional dance; haka, a traditional dance, war dance
35. hanga — to build, erect, make (v); construction, practice (n)
36. hapa — mistake; supper, dinner
37. hari — to feel happy; to take or carry
38. haria — to be carried (hari + passive suffix -a)
39. harikoa — happy, joyful, euphoric
40. hau — wind, air, breath
41. he — a, some; in the category of
42. hea — where?
43. hei — at, in, with, for, to, as a; hay; necklace (Various meanings, eg future preposition)
44. heihei — chicken
45. heke — rafter (n); to descend, get off (v)
46. heoi — however; and so
47. hia — how many?
48. hiahia — to want
49. hiainu — thirst, thirsty
50. hiakai — hungry
51. hiamoe — sleepy
52. hine — term of address for a girl: E hine!
53. hinga — to fall from an upright position; to fall (and not be able to get up again)
54. hipi — sheep
55. hoa — friend; partner; spouse
56. hoatu — to give (away from speaker)
57. hoki — to go back, return; also, indeed
58. hoko — to buy, sell, purchase
59. hokomaha — supermarket
60. hokona — sold (hoko + passive suffix -na)
61. homai — give (to the speaker)
62. hone — to plunder, acquire wrongfully (v); ocean swell (n)
63. horoi — to wash, to clean
64. horoia — washed (pass of horoi)
65. hou — new, modern; feather
66. hua — product, fruit
67. huarahi — street, path, road
68. hui — meeting; gathered
69. huka — sugar
70. hāte — shirt
71. hē — wrong; error, mistake
72. hēki — egg
73. hīkoi — to walk, step, tread
74. hōhā — annoyed, bored (adj), a nuisance (n)
75. hōiho — horse
76. hū — shoe
77. i — object of the sentence, from; concerning; in; in the past; on; → | Several uses; not always translatable with a specific English word. Past tense verb particle: I haere ia ... She went Past time marker: I tērā wiki ... Last week Direct object marker: Ka kai ia i te āporo. Source marker (from): Kua hoki mai au i te kura.
78. ia — he, she, him, her
79. iho — downwards
80. ihu — nose
81. ika — fish
82. ina — if, when
83. inanahi — yesterday
84. ingoa — name
85. inu — to drink (v); drink (n)
86. ināianei — now
87. irāmutu — niece, nephew
88. iti — small, little
89. iwa — nine
90. iwi — tribe
91. ka — will happen | Verbal particle with a range of meanings; not directly translated with an English word
92. kaha — strong, able
93. kai — eat (v); food (n)
94. kaiako — teacher (kai- + ako)
95. kaimahi — worker, employee (kai- + mahi)
96. kainga — (pass) be eaten
97. kanikani — dance, to dance
98. kapu — cup
99. karaka — orange (colour)
100. karakia — prayer, to pray
101. karanga — to call
102. kata — to laugh
103. katoa — all
104. kau — swim; cow
105. kaua — negative word, do not, eg: Kaua e tangi
106. kauhoe — to swim
107. kaukau — to bathe
108. kaumātua — elder; elderly
109. kaupapa — topic, theme, plan, subject
110. kawa — sour, yuck
111. kawe — to carry, convey
112. kei — Various uses, meanings, eg: preposition, present time and place location; at the moment; it might be that...
113. kei te — at the moment; now
114. keke — cake
115. kete — basket, kit
116. ki — to, at, →; | Has various uses and meanings
117. kia — may you be; may we be; let it be that; | Various uses, meanings. Often not translatable by an English word.
118. kimi — to look for, seek
119. kimihia — sought; look for! (kimi + passive suffix -hia)
120. kino — bad
121. kiri — skin
122. Kirikiriroa — Hamilton
123. kite — to see
124. kitea — seen (kite + passive suffix -a)
125. ko — is, are (Various uses; not usually translatable with an English word), [equals], [topic marker]
126. koa — happy
127. koe — you, one person
128. kohi — to collect, gather together
129. koi — sharp
130. koia — it is, so
131. konei — here, by speaker
132. konā — there, by listener
133. kore — zero, nothing
134. koro — term of address for an elderly man, grandfather (E koro)
135. koroua — elderly man, grandfather
136. korā — over there
137. kotahi — one
138. koti — coat, jacket
139. koutou — you, three or more people
140. kua — then; have; has; had | Verbal particle; indicating completed action or movement into a state
141. kuhu — to enter, to go or come in
142. kuia — elderly woman, grandmother
143. kupu — word
144. kura — school; treasured item
145. kuri — Kuri, n. 1. Dog. Ka rongo te kuri ra i…
146. kurī — dog
147. kāhore — Negative used for verb sentences
148. kāinga — home
149. kākahu — clothing, garment
150. kākāriki — green
151. kāo — no!
152. kāore — negative used for verb sentences
153. kāpata — cupboard
154. kāretu — Kāretu, n. Hierochloe antarctica, a sweetscented grass. Homai ki au…
155. kātahi — then
156. kāti — stop! (as in: kāti te tangi)
157. kē — already; different; other; differently; rather; strange; actually
158. kēkē — armpit
159. kēmu — game
160. kī — to be full
161. kīhai — Negative word
162. kō — at a distance, yonder; shovel
163. kōrero — to talk, speak
164. kōrerotia — spoken (kōrero + passive suffix -tia)
165. kōrua — you, two people
166. kōtiro — girl
167. kūaha — door
168. kūmara — kūmara, sweet potato
169. mahana — to be warm, warm
170. mahi — to do, work, make
171. mahia — worked (mahi + passive suffix -a)
172. mahue — to be left behind (trans)
173. mai — towards the speaker in space or in orientation; to here
174. makariri — cold
175. makawe — hair of the head (human, used in plural: ngā makawe)
176. mamae — hurt, sore, pain
177. mana — prestige, authority
178. Mane — Monday
179. mano — thousand
180. manu — bird
181. manuhiri — guest
182. marae — traditional Māori gathering place
183. marama — month, moon
184. mataku — scared, afraid
185. matapihi — window
186. mate — to be sick, ill, dead
187. matekai — hungry, starving
188. matua — parent, father
189. mau — to wear clothes
190. maunga — mountain
191. mauria — to be carried (mau + passive suffix -ria)
192. me — and, should, with (various meanings, uses, eg with, like, should)
193. mea — a thing (n); to say (v)
194. mehemea — if (presuming not; cf. ki te, if, expressing simple uncertainty)
195. mere — bush, shrub
196. mihi — to greet; thank; acknowledge
197. miraka — milk
198. moana — sea
199. moe — sleep; to marry
200. moenga — bed
201. mokemoke — lonely
202. mokopuna — grandchild
203. momo — type, kind
204. moni — money
205. motokā — car, motorcar
206. motu — island (n); cut (v), cut off (adj)
207. motukā — car
208. mua — front, before
209. muri — behind, after
210. mutu — be ended, finished (but not necessarily completed)
211. mutunga — end (mutu + noun ending -nga)
212. mā — clean, white, and others
213. māharahara — worry (n); anxious (adj)
214. māia — capable, brave, bold
215. māku — for me, by me
216. mākū — to be saturated, wet, damp
217. māmā — mother (n); easy, simple (adj)
218. māna — for him, her, by him, her
219. māngere — lazy
220. Māori — indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand
221. māra — garden
222. mārama — clear, understand
223. mātakitaki — to watch, to observe, examine, inspect
224. mātau — to know, understand
225. mātou — we, us (three or more people, excluding the person/ people addressed)
226. mātua — parents, fathers (plural form of matua)
227. mātāmua — eldest; first; main
228. māu — for you, by you; ā category possession
229. māua — we, us (two people, excluding addressee)
230. māui — on the left hand, left side
231. māuiui — sick
232. mīti — meat
233. mō — for, unrealised, ō category possession, about
234. mōhio — to know
235. mōku — for me, unrealised, o category possession
236. mōna — for him, her, unrealised, o category possession
237. mōu — for you
238. na — Na (i), pronominal suffix of the 3rd pers. sing., which…
239. nei — here, by speaker
240. ngahere — forest, bush
241. ngaro — to be lost, missing, gone, hidden (trans)
242. ngenge — tired
243. ngeru — cat
244. ngā — the, plural
245. ngākau — heart, as in seat of the affections and feelings
246. Ngāti — tribal name prefix (as in: Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu)
247. niho — tooth
248. no — No. 1. prep. From, of, belonging to. (a) As part…
249. noa — free from tapu; only, just, merely
250. noho — to live; sit
251. nui — big, great, many
252. nā — Various meanings, eg by, belonging to (ā category), by way of
253. nāku — mine, realised possession, it was done by me (ā category)
254. nāna — by him, her, belonging to him, her
255. nāu — you (past tense); yours (singular)
256. nē — tag question, translated variously depending on the English structure; eh?
257. nō — from
258. nōku — mine, realised possession, ō category
259. nōna — belongs to him or her (ō catergory), his, hers
260. o — of, belonging to | Has several uses
261. oho — to wake up
262. oma — to run, escape
263. one — beach, sand
264. ono — six
265. ope — group travelling together
266. ora — alive, well, healthy, safe
267. oti — to be completed
268. pahi — bus
269. pai — good (adj); to like (v); good
270. pakaru — broken (applied to a thing not a body part) (trans)
271. pakeke — hard, stiff (adj); to grow up (v); age, adult, elder (n)
272. pango — black
273. pani — orphan (n); to be orphaned (v): to smear, spread out (v)
274. papa — floor, ground, flat surface
275. parakuihi — breakfast
276. paru — dirt, mud, dirty
277. parāoa — bread, flour
278. pata — butter
279. patu — to strike, hit; to kill
280. patua — hit/killed (patu + passive suffix -a)
281. pau — to be consumed, used up completely, all gone (trans)
282. pea — pair; pear
283. pene — pen
284. pepa — paper; pepper
285. pereti — plate
286. piki — to increase
287. pikitia — picture, film
288. pirihimana — police officer
289. poaka — pig
290. ponga — Ponga. 1. n. Cyathea dealbata, a tree-fern. 2. A method…
291. poto — short
292. pouaka — box
293. pounamu — greenstone
294. pukapuka — book, lungs
295. puku — stomach, belly
296. pukumahi — hard-working, industrious
297. pukuriri — fury; furious; grumpy
298. pupuhi — to shoot
299. puta — to appear, to come out
300. putiputi — flower
301. pā — a fortified settlement (n); to touch (v)
302. pānui — to read; to publish, advertise; notice, advertisement
303. pāpā — father, uncle
304. pātai — question; to ask a question
305. pāua — abalone
306. pēhea — how?
307. pēke — bag
308. pēnei — like this, near speaker
309. pēnā — like that, near listener
310. pēpi — baby
311. pērā — like that, yonder
312. pēwhea — how? (variant of pēhea)
313. pīrangi — to want, desire
314. pō — night
315. Pōneke — Wellington [Port Nicholson]
316. pōro — ball (also 'paoro')
317. pōtae — hat
318. pōuri — sad, dark
319. pū — to blow gently
320. pūhā — green spinach-like vegetable
321. rangatira — chief, leader, boss
322. rangi — sky, day
323. rapu — to look for
324. rare — lolly
325. raro — under, below; time
326. raruraru — trouble, problem; be in difficulty, in trouble
327. rata — friendly, at ease (adj); calm (n); to like (v)
328. rau — to put into; leaf
329. rawa — Various meanings, eg too, quite, very; really
330. rawe — lovely, excellent
331. reira — there (previously mentioned)
332. reka — sweet
333. reo — language, voice
334. rere — to escape; to fly
335. reta — letter
336. rima — five
337. ringa — hand, arm
338. ringaringa — hand, arm
339. riri — anger, angry
340. riro — gone away; to be awarded: acquired, obtained
341. rite — to be ready, like, similar
342. roa — long
343. rongo — to hear, perceive, feel
344. rorohiko — computer
345. roto — in, inside, within; lake
346. rua — two; grave, hole, storage pit
347. runga — on
348. rā — day; the sun; over there
349. Rāhoroi — Saturday
350. rākau — tree; timber
351. rānei — or
352. Rātapu — Sunday
353. rātou — they, them, three or more people
354. rāua — them; they (two people)
355. rīhi — dish; dishes; lease
356. rīwai — potato
357. rōpū — group
358. rūma — room
359. tae — to reach, arrive (v); colour (n)
360. taea — to be able, to be achieved (tae + passive suffix -a)
361. taenga — arrival (tae + nominal suffix -nga)
362. taha — to pass by; side
363. tahi — one, single
364. tahu — burn; cook; light (set on fire); husband, wife; lover
365. tai — tide; coast
366. taihoa — wait
367. taka — to come around in a cycle; to fall from a height
368. take — beginning, cause, origin
369. takoto — to lie down
370. taku — my (singular); edge
371. tama — son, nephew (term of address for a boy, son: tama)
372. tamaiti — child
373. tamariki — children
374. tamāhine — daughter
375. tana — his/her (neutral category); ton
376. tangata — person
377. tangi — to cry; to make a sound
378. tangohia — pick up! (command); taken away (tango + passive suffix -hia)
379. taniwha — monster, traditional guardian of bodies of water
380. taonga — property, possession
381. tapahi — to cut up, chop
382. tapahia — cut! to be cut (tapahi + passive suffix -a)
383. taraiwa — to drive; driver
384. tarau — trousers
385. tata — near, close
386. tatari — to wait
387. tatau — to count
388. tau — to land, settle; be calm; to attack; lover; handsome; year; age; number
389. taua — that, previously mentioned (singular)
390. tauira — student; example
391. taupō — Taupō, n. 1. A ferruginous earth or stone. 2. A…
392. taura — rope, cable
393. tawhiti — distant, a distant place
394. te — the, singular definite article
395. teina — younger sibling, same sex
396. tekau — ten
397. tere — to flow, float, move quickly; fast
398. tia — to steer, adorned
399. tiaki — to look after, to care for
400. tika — to be right, correct, straight, in order
401. tikanga — reason, meaning, right way of doing things, custom (tika + nominal suffix -nga)
402. tiki — to fetch
403. tinana — body, trunk, torso
404. tino — very
405. tipu — to grow (v); a plant, shoot
406. titiro — to look at
407. toa — shop; male animal; expert; to be strong
408. tohu — a qualification, eg degree
409. tohunga — expert, priest
410. tohutohu — to instruct; to guide, direct; instructions, directions
411. toki — adze, axe; champion
412. tokohia — how many people?
413. tokorua — two (of people)
414. tokotoru — three (people)
415. tono — to apply for, to order (v): an application (n)
416. tonu — still
417. toru — three
418. tua — beyond
419. tuahine — sister, of a male
420. tuakana — older sibling of the same sex
421. tuarua — second
422. tuatahi — first
423. tuhi — to write; to indicate, point out
424. tuhituhi — to write, draw
425. tuku — to put off, to leave aside
426. tungāne — brother, of a female
427. tunu — to cook, roast
428. tupu — to grow, develop; a plant, shoot (variant of tipu)
429. tuākana — older brothers of a male; older sisters of a female
430. tā — print, draw
431. tākaro — to play
432. tāku — my, ā category possession, singular
433. tāna — his, her, ā category possession, singular
434. tāne — man, male
435. tāngata — people (plural of tangata)
436. tāone — town
437. tāria — (pass) be waited for; be expected; after a time
438. tātahi — seaside, beach
439. tātau — we; us; everyone
440. tātou — we, us, inclusive, three or more people
441. tāu — your (singular + one item)
442. tāua — we, us, you and I, inclusive, dual
443. tāwāhi — overseas
444. tē — Tē (i), particle used with verbs to make an emphatic…
445. tēhea — which, singular
446. tēnei — this (by speaker); this is; this
447. tēnā — that, by the listener
448. tēpu — table
449. tērā — that over there, that
450. tētahi — a, one specific thing
451. tētehi — a, one specific thing (variant of tētahi)
452. tī — cabbage tree; tea
453. tīkina — be fetched (tiki + passive suffix -na (note the first i is lengthened)
454. tīmata — to begin, to start
455. tītī — muttonbird
456. tō — your (singular); to drag
457. tōkena — stockings, socks
458. tōku — my (singular)
459. tōna — his, her
460. tōu — your, ō category possession, singular
461. tū — stand; to be wounded; a wound
462. tūpato — to be careful; caution, cautious
463. tūpuna — grandparents (plural form of tupuna; variant of tīpuna)
464. tūru — chair, seat, stool
465. tūtaki — to meet; to close up, to block (v); meeting (n)
466. ua — to rain; rain
467. uaua — difficult (adj); muscle, vein, artery (n)
468. uru — join; enter; participate, go in; west
469. uta — to load; shore; inland; the land; to load
470. utu — cost, price; to pay for
471. waea — wire; phone
472. waenganui — middle, centre, between
473. waewae — foot, leg
474. waha — load, burden; to carry on the back; mouth
475. wahine — woman, wife
476. waho — out, outside, the outside
477. wai — water; who
478. waiata — to sing (v); song (n)
479. waiho — to remain, rest; to leave behind
480. waka — vehicle (land, air and sea)
481. wareware — to forget; forgetful (trans)
482. waru — eight; to scrape, to peel
483. wehe — to depart, leave; to separate, divide
484. wera — to burn; burnt; hot, heat
485. whaea — mother, aunt
486. whai — to follow, to chase; to have, to acquire
487. whakaaro — to think; thought, idea
488. whakaata — mirror
489. whakahoki — to return something, to reply
490. whakamaua — be fixed; put on (pass of whakamauto)
491. whakapai — to improve, to fix up, bless, cleaning
492. whakarite — to compare; arrange, organise
493. whakarongo — to listen
494. whakatika — to straighten, to correct, to fix
495. whakatā — to rest (v); relaxed (adj)
496. whakautu — to reply, to respond, answer
497. whara — to be injured
498. whare — house, building
499. whea — where? (variant of hea)
500. whenua — land
501. whero — red
502. whiti — to cross; shine, rise
503. whitu — seven
504. whā — four
505. whānau — family; to be born, be born
506. whāngai — to feed, to foster (v); fostered child (n)
507. wiki — week
508. wini — window
509. wā — time, times
510. wāhi — part, portion; place
511. wāhine — women, wives (plural form of wahine)
512. wānanga — study, analyze; seminar, a place of learning
513. ā — and; and then
514. āe — yes
515. āhea — Āhea = awhea, a hea, ad. interrogative, of future time.…
516. āhei — Āhei (i), pt. 1. Able. Mo te whai rawa ake…
517. āhua — shape, form, appearance
518. Ākarana — Auckland
519. ākonga — student
520. āku — my, mine (pl, for ā category items, plural form of tāku)
521. ākuanei — Ākuanei, ad. of time following. Presently, today. Akuanei u tonu…
522. āna — his, her, plural, for ā category items
523. ānō — as though; as if
524. āporo — apple
525. āpōpō — tomorrow
526. āta — gently, carefully, deliberately
527. ātaahua — beautiful, well formed
528. āu — your, ā category possession (plural form of tāu)
529. āwangawanga — worried
530. āwhea — Āwhea = ahea. ‖ hea.
531. āwhina — to help
532. āwhinatia — helped (pass of āwhina)
533. ēnei — these, near me (plural of tēnei)
534. ēnā — those, near you (plural of tēnā)
535. ērā — those (over there)
536. ētahi — some, a few (plural of tētahi)
537. ō — your, one person, neutral category possession, plural
538. ōku — mine, plural, ō category possession
539. ōna — his, her, plural, ō category possession
540. ōu — yours, one person, ō category possession, plural