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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 1–106 · 562 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. eke — to embark, get onto; riding
32. engari — but
33. haere — go, come
34. haerenga — journey (n); travel (v)
35. haka — to perform traditional dance; haka, a traditional dance, war dance
36. hanga — to build, erect, make (v); construction, practice (n)
37. hapa — mistake; supper, dinner
38. hari — to feel happy; to take or carry
39. haria — to be carried (hari + passive suffix -a)
40. harikoa — happy, joyful, euphoric
41. hau — wind, air, breath
42. he — a, some; in the category of
43. hea — where?
44. hei — at, in, with, for, to, as a; hay; necklace (Various meanings, eg future preposition)
45. heihei — chicken
46. heke — rafter (n); to descend, get off (v)
47. heoi — however; and so
48. hia — how many?
49. hiahia — to want
50. hiainu — thirst, thirsty
51. hiakai — hungry
52. hiamoe — sleepy
53. hine — term of address for a girl: E hine!
54. hinga — to fall from an upright position; to fall (and not be able to get up again)
55. hipi — sheep
56. hoa — friend; partner; spouse
57. hoatu — to give (away from speaker)
58. hoki — to go back, return; also, indeed
59. hoko — to buy, sell, purchase
60. hokomaha — supermarket
61. hokona — sold (hoko + passive suffix -na)
62. homai — give (to the speaker)
63. hone — to plunder, acquire wrongfully (v); ocean swell (n)
64. horoi — to wash, to clean
65. horoia — washed (pass of horoi)
66. hou — new, modern; feather
67. hua — product, fruit
68. huarahi — street, path, road
69. hui — meeting; gathered
70. huka — sugar
71. hāte — shirt
72. hē — wrong; error, mistake
73. hēki — egg
74. hīkoi — to walk, step, tread
75. hōhā — annoyed, bored (adj), a nuisance (n)
76. hōiho — horse
77. hū — shoe
78. 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.
79. ia — he, she, him, her
80. iho — downwards
81. ihu — nose
82. ika — fish
83. ina — if, when
84. inanahi — yesterday
85. ingoa — name
86. inu — to drink (v); drink (n)
87. inumia — [the liquid was] drunk (inu + mia; pass)
88. ināianei — now
89. irāmutu — niece, nephew
90. iti — small, little
91. iwa — nine
92. iwi — tribe
93. ka — will happen | Verbal particle with a range of meanings; not directly translated with an English word
94. kaha — strong, able
95. kai — eat (v); food (n)
96. kaiako — teacher (kai- + ako)
97. kaikōrero — speaker, orator (kai- + kōrero)
98. kaimahi — worker, employee (kai- + mahi)
99. kainga — (pass) be eaten
100. kanikani — dance, to dance
101. kapu — cup
102. karaka — orange (colour)
103. karakia — prayer, to pray
104. karanga — to call
105. karangatia — (pass) be called; be welcomed
106. kata — to laugh
107. katoa — all
108. kau — swim; cow
109. kaua — negative word, do not, eg: Kaua e tangi
110. kauhoe — to swim
111. kaukau — to bathe
112. kaumātua — elder; elderly
113. kaupapa — topic, theme, plan, subject
114. kawa — sour, yuck
115. kawe — to carry, convey
116. kei — Various uses, meanings, eg: preposition, present time and place location; at the moment; it might be that...
117. kei te — at the moment; now
118. keke — cake
119. kete — basket, kit
120. ki — to, at, →; | Has various uses and meanings
121. kia — may you be; may we be; let it be that; | Various uses, meanings. Often not translatable by an English word.
122. kimi — to look for, seek
123. kimihia — sought; look for! (kimi + passive suffix -hia)
124. kino — bad
125. kiore — rat
126. kiri — skin
127. kiriata — movie, film
128. Kirikiriroa — Hamilton
129. kite — to see
130. kitea — seen (kite + passive suffix -a)
131. ko — is, are (Various uses; not usually translatable with an English word), [equals], [topic marker]
132. koa — happy
133. koe — you, one person
134. kohi — to collect, gather together
135. koi — sharp
136. koia — it is, so
137. konei — here, by speaker
138. konā — there, by listener
139. kore — zero, nothing
140. koretake — useless
141. koro — term of address for an elderly man, grandfather (E koro)
142. koroua — elderly man, grandfather
143. korā — over there
144. kotahi — one
145. koti — coat, jacket
146. koutou — you, three or more people
147. kua — then; have; has; had | Verbal particle; indicating completed action or movement into a state
148. kuhu — to enter, to go or come in
149. kuia — elderly woman, grandmother
150. kupu — word
151. kura — school; treasured item
152. kuri — Kuri, n. 1. Dog. Ka rongo te kuri ra i…
153. kurī — dog
154. kāhore — Negative used for verb sentences
155. kāinga — home
156. kākahu — clothing, garment
157. kākāriki — green
158. kāo — no!
159. kāore — negative used for verb sentences
160. kāpata — cupboard
161. kāretu — Kāretu, n. Hierochloe antarctica, a sweetscented grass. Homai ki au…
162. kātahi — then
163. kāti — stop! (as in: kāti te tangi)
164. kē — already; different; other; differently; rather; strange; actually
165. kēkē — armpit
166. kēmu — game
167. kī — to be full
168. kīhai — Negative word
169. kō — at a distance, yonder; shovel
170. kōrero — to talk, speak
171. kōrerotia — spoken (kōrero + passive suffix -tia)
172. kōrua — you, two people
173. kōtiro — girl
174. kūaha — door
175. kūmara — kūmara, sweet potato
176. mahana — to be warm, warm
177. mahi — to do, work, make
178. mahia — worked (mahi + passive suffix -a)
179. mahue — to be left behind (trans)
180. mai — towards the speaker in space or in orientation; to here
181. makariri — cold
182. makawe — hair of the head (human, used in plural: ngā makawe)
183. mamae — hurt, sore, pain
184. mana — prestige, authority
185. Mane — Monday
186. mano — thousand
187. manu — bird
188. manuhiri — guest
189. marae — traditional Māori gathering place
190. marama — month, moon
191. mataku — scared, afraid
192. matapihi — window
193. mate — to be sick, ill, dead
194. matekai — hungry, starving
195. matua — parent, father
196. mau — to wear clothes
197. maumahara — to remember, remember
198. maunga — mountain
199. mauria — to be carried (mau + passive suffix -ria)
200. me — and, should, with (various meanings, uses, eg with, like, should)
201. mea — a thing (n); to say (v)
202. mehemea — if (presuming not; cf. ki te, if, expressing simple uncertainty)
203. mere — bush, shrub
204. mihi — to greet; thank; acknowledge
205. miraka — milk
206. moana — sea
207. moe — sleep; to marry
208. moenga — bed
209. mokemoke — lonely
210. mokopuna — grandchild
211. momo — type, kind
212. moni — money
213. motokā — car, motorcar
214. motu — island (n); cut (v), cut off (adj)
215. motukā — car
216. mua — front, before
217. muri — behind, after
218. mutu — be ended, finished (but not necessarily completed)
219. mutunga — end (mutu + noun ending -nga)
220. mā — clean, white, and others
221. māharahara — worry (n); anxious (adj)
222. māia — capable, brave, bold
223. māku — for me, by me
224. mākū — to be saturated, wet, damp
225. māmā — mother (n); easy, simple (adj)
226. māna — for him, her, by him, her
227. māngere — lazy
228. Māori — indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand
229. māra — garden
230. mārama — clear, understand
231. mātakitaki — to watch, to observe, examine, inspect
232. mātau — to know, understand
233. mātou — we, us (three or more people, excluding the person/ people addressed)
234. mātua — parents, fathers (plural form of matua)
235. mātāmua — eldest; first; main
236. māu — for you, by you; ā category possession
237. māua — we, us (two people, excluding addressee)
238. māui — on the left hand, left side
239. māuiui — sick
240. mīti — meat
241. mō — for, unrealised, ō category possession, about
242. mōhio — to know
243. mōku — for me, unrealised, o category possession
244. mōna — for him, her, unrealised, o category possession
245. mōu — for you
246. na — Na (i), pronominal suffix of the 3rd pers. sing., which…
247. nama — number
248. nei — here, by speaker
249. ngahere — forest, bush
250. ngaro — to be lost, missing, gone, hidden (trans)
251. ngenge — tired
252. ngeru — cat
253. ngā — the, plural
254. ngākau — heart, as in seat of the affections and feelings
255. Ngāti — tribal name prefix (as in: Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu)
256. niho — tooth
257. no — No. 1. prep. From, of, belonging to. (a) As part…
258. noa — free from tapu; only, just, merely
259. noho — to live; sit
260. nui — big, great, many
261. nā — Various meanings, eg by, belonging to (ā category), by way of
262. nāku — mine, realised possession, it was done by me (ā category)
263. nāna — by him, her, belonging to him, her
264. nāu — you (past tense); yours (singular)
265. nē — tag question, translated variously depending on the English structure; eh?
266. nō — from
267. nōku — mine, realised possession, ō category
268. nōna — belongs to him or her (ō catergory), his, hers
269. nōu — yours
270. o — of, belonging to | Has several uses
271. oho — to wake up
272. oma — to run, escape
273. one — beach, sand
274. ono — six
275. ope — group travelling together
276. ora — alive, well, healthy, safe
277. oti — to be completed
278. pahi — bus
279. pai — good (adj); to like (v); good
280. pakaru — broken (applied to a thing not a body part) (trans)
281. pakeke — hard, stiff (adj); to grow up (v); age, adult, elder (n)
282. paku — small
283. pango — black
284. pani — orphan (n); to be orphaned (v): to smear, spread out (v)
285. papa — floor, ground, flat surface
286. parakuihi — breakfast
287. paru — dirt, mud, dirty
288. parāoa — bread, flour
289. pata — butter
290. patu — to strike, hit; to kill
291. patua — hit/killed (patu + passive suffix -a)
292. pau — to be consumed, used up completely, all gone (trans)
293. pea — pair; pear
294. pene — pen
295. pepa — paper; pepper
296. pereti — plate
297. piki — to increase
298. pikitia — picture, film
299. pirihimana — police officer
300. poaka — pig
301. ponga — Ponga. 1. n. Cyathea dealbata, a tree-fern. 2. A method…
302. poto — short
303. pouaka — box
304. pounamu — greenstone
305. pukapuka — book, lungs
306. puku — stomach, belly
307. pukumahi — hard-working, industrious
308. pukuriri — fury; furious; grumpy
309. pupuhi — to shoot
310. puta — to appear, to come out
311. putiputi — flower
312. pā — a fortified settlement (n); to touch (v)
313. pānui — to read; to publish, advertise; notice, advertisement
314. pāpā — father, uncle
315. pātai — question; to ask a question
316. pāua — abalone
317. pēhea — how?
318. pēke — bag
319. pēnei — like this, near speaker
320. pēnā — like that, near listener
321. pēpi — baby
322. pērā — like that, yonder
323. pēwhea — how? (variant of pēhea)
324. pīrangi — to want, desire
325. pō — night
326. Pōneke — Wellington [Port Nicholson]
327. pōro — ball (also 'paoro')
328. pōtae — hat
329. pōtiki — child; youngest child
330. pōuri — sad, dark
331. pōwhiri — welcome
332. pū — to blow gently
333. pūhā — green spinach-like vegetable
334. ra — Ra (i), ad. 1. There, yonder. “Keiwhea a Whakatau?” “Ra,…
335. rangatira — chief, leader, boss
336. rangi — sky, day
337. rapu — to look for
338. rare — lolly
339. raro — under, below; time
340. raruraru — trouble, problem; be in difficulty, in trouble
341. rata — friendly, at ease (adj); calm (n); to like (v)
342. rau — to put into; leaf
343. raumati — summer
344. rawa — Various meanings, eg too, quite, very; really
345. rawe — lovely, excellent
346. reira — there (previously mentioned)
347. reka — sweet
348. reo — language, voice
349. rere — to escape; to fly
350. reta — letter
351. rima — five
352. ringa — hand, arm
353. ringaringa — hand, arm
354. riri — anger, angry
355. riro — gone away; to be awarded: acquired, obtained
356. rite — to be ready, like, similar
357. roa — long
358. rongo — to hear, perceive, feel
359. rorohiko — computer
360. roto — in, inside, within; lake
361. rua — two; grave, hole, storage pit
362. runga — on
363. rā — day; the sun; over there
364. Rāhoroi — Saturday
365. rākau — tree; timber
366. rānei — or
367. Rātapu — Sunday
368. rātou — they, them, three or more people
369. rāua — them; they (two people)
370. rīhi — dish; dishes; lease
371. rīwai — potato
372. rōpū — group
373. rūma — room
374. tae — to reach, arrive (v); colour (n)
375. taea — to be able, to be achieved (tae + passive suffix -a)
376. taenga — arrival (tae + nominal suffix -nga)
377. taha — to pass by; side
378. tahi — one, single
379. tahu — burn; cook; light (set on fire); husband, wife; lover
380. tai — tide; coast
381. taihoa — wait
382. taka — to come around in a cycle; to fall from a height
383. take — beginning, cause, origin
384. taki — to lead, to bring along
385. takoto — to lie down
386. taku — my (singular); edge
387. tama — son, nephew (term of address for a boy, son: tama)
388. tamaiti — child
389. tamariki — children
390. tamāhine — daughter
391. tana — his/her (neutral category); ton
392. tangata — person
393. tangi — to cry; to make a sound
394. tangohia — pick up! (command); taken away (tango + passive suffix -hia)
395. taniwha — monster, traditional guardian of bodies of water
396. taonga — property, possession
397. tapahi — to cut up, chop
398. tapahia — cut! to be cut (tapahi + passive suffix -a)
399. taputapu — gear, equipment
400. taraiwa — to drive; driver
401. tarau — trousers
402. tari — government department; office
403. tata — near, close
404. tatari — to wait
405. tatau — to count
406. tau — to land, settle; be calm; to attack; lover; handsome; year; age; number
407. taua — that, previously mentioned (singular)
408. tauira — student; example
409. taupō — Taupō, n. 1. A ferruginous earth or stone. 2. A…
410. taura — rope, cable
411. tawhiti — distant, a distant place
412. te — the, singular definite article
413. teina — younger sibling, same sex
414. tekau — ten
415. tere — to flow, float, move quickly; fast
416. tia — to steer, adorned
417. tiaki — to look after, to care for
418. tika — to be right, correct, straight, in order
419. tikanga — reason, meaning, right way of doing things, custom (tika + nominal suffix -nga)
420. tiki — to fetch
421. tinana — body, trunk, torso
422. tino — very
423. tipu — to grow (v); a plant, shoot
424. titiro — to look at
425. toa — shop; male animal; expert; to be strong
426. tohu — a qualification, eg degree
427. tohunga — expert, priest
428. tohutohu — to instruct; to guide, direct; instructions, directions
429. toki — adze, axe; champion
430. tokohia — how many people?
431. tokorua — two (of people)
432. tokotoru — three (people)
433. tono — to apply for, to order (v): an application (n)
434. tonu — still
435. toru — three
436. tua — beyond
437. tuahine — sister, of a male
438. tuakana — older sibling of the same sex
439. tuarua — second
440. tuatahi — first
441. tuhi — to write; to indicate, point out
442. tuhinga — writing, text (tuhi + nominal suffix -nga)
443. tuhituhi — to write, draw
444. tuku — to put off, to leave aside
445. tungāne — brother, of a female
446. tunu — to cook, roast
447. tupu — to grow, develop; a plant, shoot (variant of tipu)
448. tuākana — older brothers of a male; older sisters of a female
449. tā — print, draw
450. tākaro — to play
451. tāku — my, ā category possession, singular
452. tāna — his, her, ā category possession, singular
453. tāne — man, male
454. tāngata — people (plural of tangata)
455. tāone — town
456. tāria — (pass) be waited for; be expected; after a time
457. tātahi — seaside, beach
458. tātau — we; us; everyone
459. tātou — we, us, inclusive, three or more people
460. tāu — your (singular + one item)
461. tāua — we, us, you and I, inclusive, dual
462. tāwāhi — overseas
463. tē — Tē (i), particle used with verbs to make an emphatic…
464. tēhea — which, singular
465. tēnei — this (by speaker); this is; this
466. tēnā — that, by the listener
467. tēpu — table
468. tērā — that over there, that
469. tētahi — a, one specific thing
470. tētehi — a, one specific thing (variant of tētahi)
471. tī — cabbage tree; tea
472. tīkina — be fetched (tiki + passive suffix -na (note the first i is lengthened)
473. tīmata — to begin, to start
474. tītī — muttonbird
475. tō — your (singular); to drag
476. tōkena — stockings, socks
477. tōku — my (singular)
478. tōna — his, her
479. tōu — your, ō category possession, singular
480. tū — stand; to be wounded; a wound
481. tūpato — to be careful; caution, cautious
482. tūpuna — grandparents (plural form of tupuna; variant of tīpuna)
483. tūru — chair, seat, stool
484. tūtaki — to meet; to close up, to block (v); meeting (n)
485. ua — to rain; rain
486. uaua — difficult (adj); muscle, vein, artery (n)
487. uru — join; enter; participate, go in; west
488. uta — to load; shore; inland; the land; to load
489. utu — cost, price; to pay for
490. waea — wire; phone
491. waenganui — middle, centre, between
492. waewae — foot, leg
493. waha — load, burden; to carry on the back; mouth
494. wahine — woman, wife
495. waho — out, outside, the outside
496. wai — water; who
497. waiata — to sing (v); song (n)
498. waiho — to remain, rest; to leave behind
499. waka — vehicle (land, air and sea)
500. wareware — to forget; forgetful (trans)
501. waru — eight; to scrape, to peel
502. wehe — to depart, leave; to separate, divide
503. wera — to burn; burnt; hot, heat
504. whaea — mother, aunt
505. whai — to follow, to chase; to have, to acquire
506. whakaako — teach
507. whakaaro — to think; thought, idea
508. whakaata — mirror
509. whakahoki — to return something, to reply
510. whakamaua — be fixed; put on (pass of whakamauto)
511. whakapai — to improve, to fix up, bless, cleaning
512. whakarite — to compare; arrange, organise
513. whakarongo — to listen
514. whakatika — to straighten, to correct, to fix
515. whakatā — to rest (v); relaxed (adj)
516. whakautu — to reply, to respond, answer
517. whara — to be injured
518. whare — house, building
519. wharepaku — toilet
520. whea — where? (variant of hea)
521. whenua — land
522. whero — red
523. whiti — to cross; shine, rise
524. whitu — seven
525. whā — four
526. whānau — family; to be born, be born
527. whāngai — to feed, to foster (v); fostered child (n)
528. wiki — week
529. wini — window
530. wā — time, times
531. wāhi — part, portion; place
532. wāhine — women, wives (plural form of wahine)
533. wānanga — study, analyze; seminar, a place of learning
534. ā — and; and then
535. āe — yes
536. āhea — Āhea = awhea, a hea, ad. interrogative, of future time.…
537. āhei — Āhei (i), pt. 1. Able. Mo te whai rawa ake…
538. āhua — shape, form, appearance
539. Ākarana — Auckland
540. ākonga — student
541. āku — my, mine (pl, for ā category items, plural form of tāku)
542. ākuanei — Ākuanei, ad. of time following. Presently, today. Akuanei u tonu…
543. āna — his, her, plural, for ā category items
544. ānō — as though; as if
545. āporo — apple
546. āpōpō — tomorrow
547. āta — gently, carefully, deliberately
548. ātaahua — beautiful, well formed
549. āu — your, ā category possession (plural form of tāu)
550. āwangawanga — worried
551. āwhea — Āwhea = ahea. ‖ hea.
552. āwhina — to help
553. āwhinatia — helped (pass of āwhina)
554. ēnei — these, near me (plural of tēnei)
555. ēnā — those, near you (plural of tēnā)
556. ērā — those (over there)
557. ētahi — some, a few (plural of tētahi)
558. ētehi — some (plural of tētehi, variant of ētahi)
559. ō — your, one person, neutral category possession, plural
560. ōku — mine, plural, ō category possession
561. ōna — his, her, plural, ō category possession
562. ōu — yours, one person, ō category possession, plural