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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 1–117 · 622 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. ariki — chief, leader
21. aroha — love, sympathy, compassion
22. arā — over there, away from us both; that is, namely
23. ata — morning, shadow
24. atu — away from current orientation (often not translatable by a separate English word)
25. atua — god
26. au — I, me
27. aua — those (previously mentioned, plural of taua)
28. auau — to bark, howl
29. auē — alas! (an expression of woe, sadness)
30. awa — river, stream
31. e — by; of course; a term of address follows; [in the future]; particle used in a negation
32. ehara — exclamation: sure enough, without a doubt; not
33. eke — to embark, get onto; riding
34. engari — but
35. haere — go, come
36. haerenga — journey (n); travel (v)
37. haka — to perform traditional dance; haka, a traditional dance, war dance
38. hanga — to build, erect, make (v); construction, practice (n)
39. hapa — mistake; supper, dinner
40. hararei — holiday
41. hari — to feel happy; to take or carry
42. haria — to be carried (hari + passive suffix -a)
43. harikoa — happy, joyful, euphoric
44. hau — wind, air, breath
45. haunga — smelly, stinky
46. he — a, some; in the category of
47. hea — where?
48. hei — at, in, with, for, to, as a; hay; necklace (Various meanings, eg future preposition)
49. heihei — chicken
50. heke — rafter (n); to descend, get off (v)
51. heoi — however; and so
52. here — to tie, to bind (v0: dog lead (n)
53. hia — how many?
54. hiahia — to want
55. hiainu — thirst, thirsty
56. hiakai — hungry
57. hiamoe — sleepy
58. hine — term of address for a girl: E hine!
59. hinga — to fall from an upright position; to fall (and not be able to get up again)
60. hipi — sheep
61. hoa — friend; partner; spouse
62. hoatu — to give (away from speaker)
63. hoki — to go back, return; also, indeed
64. hoko — to buy, sell, purchase
65. hokomaha — supermarket
66. hokona — sold (hoko + passive suffix -na)
67. homai — give (to the speaker)
68. hone — to plunder, acquire wrongfully (v); ocean swell (n)
69. hopu — to catch
70. horoi — to wash, to clean
71. horoia — washed (pass of horoi)
72. hou — new, modern; feather
73. hua — product, fruit
74. huarahi — street, path, road
75. hui — meeting; gathered
76. huka — sugar
77. hāte — shirt
78. hē — wrong; error, mistake
79. hēki — egg
80. hī — to catch fish with a line
81. hīkoi — to walk, step, tread
82. hōhā — annoyed, bored (adj), a nuisance (n)
83. hōiho — horse
84. hōu — new, modern; fresh
85. hū — shoe
86. 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.
87. ia — he, she, him, her
88. iho — downwards
89. ihu — nose
90. ika — fish
91. ina — if, when
92. inanahi — yesterday
93. inapō — last night
94. ingoa — name
95. inu — to drink (v); drink (n)
96. inumia — [the liquid was] drunk (inu + mia; pass)
97. ināianei — now
98. irāmutu — niece, nephew
99. iti — small, little
100. iwa — nine
101. iwi — tribe
102. ka — will happen | Verbal particle with a range of meanings; not directly translated with an English word
103. kaha — strong, able
104. kahurangi — dark blue; woman of high status or rank
105. kai — eat (v); food (n)
106. kaiako — teacher (kai- + ako)
107. kaikōrero — speaker, orator (kai- + kōrero)
108. kaimahi — worker, employee (kai- + mahi)
109. kainga — (pass) be eaten
110. kaiwhakaako — teacher
111. kanikani — dance, to dance
112. kapa — group, row of people, as in: kapa haka
113. kapu — cup
114. karaka — orange (colour)
115. karakia — prayer, to pray
116. karanga — to call
117. karangatia — (pass) be called; be welcomed
118. kararehe — animal
119. karu — eye
120. kata — to laugh
121. kato — pluck
122. katoa — all
123. kau — swim; cow
124. kaua — negative word, do not, eg: Kaua e tangi
125. kauhoe — to swim
126. kaukau — to bathe
127. kaumātua — elder; elderly
128. kaupapa — topic, theme, plan, subject
129. kawa — sour, yuck
130. kawe — to carry, convey
131. kawea — brought (kawe + passive suffix -a)
132. kawhe — coffee
133. kei — Various uses, meanings, eg: preposition, present time and place location; at the moment; it might be that...
134. kei te — at the moment; now
135. keke — cake
136. kete — basket, kit
137. ki — to, at, →; | Has various uses and meanings
138. kia — may you be; may we be; let it be that; | Various uses, meanings. Often not translatable by an English word.
139. kimi — to look for, seek
140. kimihia — sought; look for! (kimi + passive suffix -hia)
141. kino — bad
142. kiore — rat
143. kiri — skin
144. kiriata — movie, film
145. Kirikiriroa — Hamilton
146. kite — to see
147. kitea — seen (kite + passive suffix -a)
148. ko — is, are (Various uses; not usually translatable with an English word), [equals], [topic marker]
149. koa — happy
150. koe — you, one person
151. koha — gift
152. kohi — to collect, gather together
153. koi — sharp
154. koia — it is, so
155. konei — here, by speaker
156. konā — there, by listener
157. kore — zero, nothing
158. koretake — useless
159. koro — term of address for an elderly man, grandfather (E koro)
160. koroua — elderly man, grandfather
161. korā — over there
162. kotahi — one
163. koti — coat, jacket
164. koutou — you, three or more people
165. kua — then; have; has; had | Verbal particle; indicating completed action or movement into a state
166. kuhu — to enter, to go or come in
167. kuia — elderly woman, grandmother
168. kupu — word
169. kura — school; treasured item
170. kuri — Kuri, n. 1. Dog. Ka rongo te kuri ra i…
171. kurī — dog
172. kāhore — Negative used for verb sentences
173. kāinga — home
174. kākahu — clothing, garment
175. kākāriki — green
176. kānga — corn
177. kāo — no!
178. kāore — negative used for verb sentences
179. kāpata — cupboard
180. kāretu — Kāretu, n. Hierochloe antarctica, a sweetscented grass. Homai ki au…
181. kātahi — then
182. kāti — stop! (as in: kāti te tangi)
183. kē — already; different; other; differently; rather; strange; actually
184. kēkē — armpit
185. kēmu — game
186. kī — to be full
187. kīhai — Negative word
188. kīhini — kitchen
189. kō — at a distance, yonder; shovel
190. kōhatu — stone
191. kōrero — to talk, speak
192. kōrerotia — spoken (kōrero + passive suffix -tia)
193. kōrua — you, two people
194. kōtiro — girl
195. kūaha — door
196. kūmara — kūmara, sweet potato
197. mahana — to be warm, warm
198. mahara — thought, memory
199. mahi — to do, work, make
200. mahia — worked (mahi + passive suffix -a)
201. mahue — to be left behind (trans)
202. mai — towards the speaker in space or in orientation; to here
203. makariri — cold
204. makawe — hair of the head (human, used in plural: ngā makawe)
205. mamae — hurt, sore, pain
206. mana — prestige, authority
207. Mane — Monday
208. mano — thousand
209. manu — bird
210. manuhiri — guest
211. marae — traditional Māori gathering place
212. marama — month, moon
213. maranga — to arise; to get up
214. mataku — scared, afraid
215. matapihi — window
216. mate — to be sick, ill, dead
217. matekai — hungry, starving
218. matua — parent, father
219. mau — to wear clothes
220. maumahara — to remember, remember
221. maunga — mountain
222. mauria — to be carried (mau + passive suffix -ria)
223. mauī — left (direction)
224. me — and, should, with (various meanings, uses, eg with, like, should)
225. mea — a thing (n); to say (v)
226. mehemea — if (presuming not; cf. ki te, if, expressing simple uncertainty)
227. mere — bush, shrub
228. mihi — to greet; thank; acknowledge
229. miraka — milk
230. mo — Mo, prep. 1. For, on account of. Ka kawe nei…
231. moana — sea
232. moe — sleep; to marry
233. moenga — bed
234. mokemoke — lonely
235. mokopuna — grandchild
236. momo — type, kind
237. moni — money
238. motokā — car, motorcar
239. motu — island (n); cut (v), cut off (adj)
240. motukā — car
241. mua — front, before
242. muri — behind, after
243. mutu — be ended, finished (but not necessarily completed)
244. mutunga — end (mutu + noun ending -nga)
245. mā — clean, white, and others
246. māharahara — worry (n); anxious (adj)
247. māia — capable, brave, bold
248. māku — for me, by me
249. mākū — to be saturated, wet, damp
250. māmā — mother (n); easy, simple (adj)
251. māna — for him, her, by him, her
252. māngere — lazy
253. Māori — indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand
254. māra — garden
255. mārama — clear, understand
256. mātakitaki — to watch, to observe, examine, inspect
257. mātau — to know, understand
258. mātou — we, us (three or more people, excluding the person/ people addressed)
259. mātua — parents, fathers (plural form of matua)
260. mātāmua — eldest; first; main
261. māu — for you, by you; ā category possession
262. māua — we, us (two people, excluding addressee)
263. māui — on the left hand, left side
264. māuiui — sick
265. mīti — meat
266. mō — for, unrealised, ō category possession, about
267. mōhio — to know
268. mōkai — pet
269. mōku — for me, unrealised, o category possession
270. mōna — for him, her, unrealised, o category possession
271. mōu — for you
272. na — Na (i), pronominal suffix of the 3rd pers. sing., which…
273. nama — number
274. nei — here, by speaker
275. ngahere — forest, bush
276. ngaro — to be lost, missing, gone, hidden (trans)
277. ngenge — tired
278. ngeru — cat
279. ngā — the, plural
280. ngākau — heart, as in seat of the affections and feelings
281. Ngāti — tribal name prefix (as in: Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu)
282. niho — tooth
283. no — No. 1. prep. From, of, belonging to. (a) As part…
284. noa — free from tapu; only, just, merely
285. noho — to live; sit
286. nui — big, great, many
287. nā — Various meanings, eg by, belonging to (ā category), by way of
288. nāku — mine, realised possession, it was done by me (ā category)
289. nāna — by him, her, belonging to him, her
290. nāu — you (past tense); yours (singular)
291. nē — tag question, translated variously depending on the English structure; eh?
292. nō — from
293. nōku — mine, realised possession, ō category
294. nōna — belongs to him or her (ō catergory), his, hers
295. nōu — yours
296. o — of, belonging to | Has several uses
297. oho — to wake up
298. oma — to run, escape
299. one — beach, sand
300. ono — six
301. ope — group travelling together
302. ora — alive, well, healthy, safe
303. oti — to be completed
304. pahi — bus
305. pai — good (adj); to like (v); good
306. pakaru — broken (applied to a thing not a body part) (trans)
307. pakeke — hard, stiff (adj); to grow up (v); age, adult, elder (n)
308. paki — to slap, to pat; to be fine; a fine day
309. paku — small
310. pango — black
311. pani — orphan (n); to be orphaned (v): to smear, spread out (v)
312. papa — floor, ground, flat surface
313. parakuihi — breakfast
314. paru — dirt, mud, dirty
315. parāoa — bread, flour
316. pata — butter
317. patu — to strike, hit; to kill
318. patua — hit/killed (patu + passive suffix -a)
319. pau — to be consumed, used up completely, all gone (trans)
320. pea — pair; pear
321. pene — pen
322. pepa — paper; pepper
323. pereti — plate
324. piki — to increase
325. pikitia — picture, film
326. pirihimana — police officer
327. poaka — pig
328. ponga — Ponga. 1. n. Cyathea dealbata, a tree-fern. 2. A method…
329. poto — short
330. pouaka — box
331. pounamu — greenstone
332. pukapuka — book, lungs
333. puku — stomach, belly
334. pukumahi — hard-working, industrious
335. pukuriri — fury; furious; grumpy
336. pune — spoon
337. pupuhi — to shoot
338. puta — to appear, to come out
339. putiputi — flower
340. pā — a fortified settlement (n); to touch (v)
341. Pākehā — New Zealander of European descent
342. pānui — to read; to publish, advertise; notice, advertisement
343. pāpā — father, uncle
344. pātai — question; to ask a question
345. pāua — abalone
346. pēhea — how?
347. pēke — bag
348. pēnei — like this, near speaker
349. pēnā — like that, near listener
350. pēpi — baby
351. pērā — like that, yonder
352. pēwhea — how? (variant of pēhea)
353. pīrangi — to want, desire
354. pō — night
355. Pōneke — Wellington [Port Nicholson]
356. pōro — ball (also 'paoro')
357. pōtae — hat
358. pōtiki — child; youngest child
359. pōuri — sad, dark
360. pōwhiri — welcome
361. pū — to blow gently
362. pūhā — green spinach-like vegetable
363. pūkoro — Pūkoro, n. 1. Sheath, case, pocket. 2. Halo. Used also…
364. ra — Ra (i), ad. 1. There, yonder. “Keiwhea a Whakatau?” “Ra,…
365. rahi — large, numerous, great, big
366. rangatira — chief, leader, boss
367. rangi — sky, day
368. rapu — to look for
369. raranga — plait; weave
370. rare — lolly
371. raro — under, below; time
372. raruraru — trouble, problem; be in difficulty, in trouble
373. rata — friendly, at ease (adj); calm (n); to like (v)
374. rau — to put into; leaf
375. raumati — summer
376. rawa — Various meanings, eg too, quite, very; really
377. rawe — lovely, excellent
378. reira — there (previously mentioned)
379. reka — sweet
380. reo — language, voice
381. rere — to escape; to fly
382. reta — letter
383. rima — five
384. ringa — hand, arm
385. ringaringa — hand, arm
386. riri — anger, angry
387. riro — gone away; to be awarded: acquired, obtained
388. rite — to be ready, like, similar
389. roa — long
390. rohe — district, area, boundary, territory
391. rongo — to hear, perceive, feel
392. rorohiko — computer
393. roto — in, inside, within; lake
394. rua — two; grave, hole, storage pit
395. runga — on
396. rā — day; the sun; over there
397. Rāhoroi — Saturday
398. rākau — tree; timber
399. rānei — or
400. Rātapu — Sunday
401. rātau — them; they (three or more people)
402. rātou — they, them, three or more people
403. rāua — them; they (two people)
404. rīhi — dish; dishes; lease
405. rīwai — potato
406. rōpū — group
407. rūma — room
408. tae — to reach, arrive (v); colour (n)
409. taea — to be able, to be achieved (tae + passive suffix -a)
410. taenga — arrival (tae + nominal suffix -nga)
411. taha — to pass by; side
412. tahi — one, single
413. tahu — burn; cook; light (set on fire); husband, wife; lover
414. tai — tide; coast
415. taihoa — wait
416. taka — to come around in a cycle; to fall from a height
417. take — beginning, cause, origin
418. taki — to lead, to bring along
419. takoto — to lie down
420. taku — my (singular); edge
421. tama — son, nephew (term of address for a boy, son: tama)
422. tamaiti — child
423. tamariki — children
424. tamāhine — daughter
425. tana — his/her (neutral category); ton
426. tangata — person
427. tangi — to cry; to make a sound
428. tango — to take hold of
429. tangohia — pick up! (command); taken away (tango + passive suffix -hia)
430. taniwha — monster, traditional guardian of bodies of water
431. taonga — property, possession
432. tapahi — to cut up, chop
433. tapahia — cut! to be cut (tapahi + passive suffix -a)
434. taputapu — gear, equipment
435. tara — point; spike; peak; wall; sea bird
436. taraiwa — to drive; driver
437. tarau — trousers
438. tari — government department; office
439. tata — near, close
440. tatari — to wait
441. tatau — to count
442. tau — to land, settle; be calm; to attack; lover; handsome; year; age; number
443. taua — that, previously mentioned (singular)
444. tauira — student; example
445. taumaha — difficult of spirit or health; to be heavy (s), weight (n)
446. taupō — Taupō, n. 1. A ferruginous earth or stone. 2. A…
447. taura — rope, cable
448. tautoko — to support
449. tawhiti — distant, a distant place
450. te — the, singular definite article
451. teina — younger sibling, same sex
452. tekau — ten
453. tere — to flow, float, move quickly; fast
454. tereina — to train
455. tia — to steer, adorned
456. tiaki — to look after, to care for
457. tika — to be right, correct, straight, in order
458. tikanga — reason, meaning, right way of doing things, custom (tika + nominal suffix -nga)
459. tiki — to fetch
460. tina — dinner, lunch
461. tinana — body, trunk, torso
462. tino — very
463. tipu — to grow (v); a plant, shoot
464. titiro — to look at
465. toa — shop; male animal; expert; to be strong
466. tohu — a qualification, eg degree
467. tohunga — expert, priest
468. tohutohu — to instruct; to guide, direct; instructions, directions
469. toki — adze, axe; champion
470. tokohia — how many people?
471. tokorua — two (of people)
472. tokotoru — three (people)
473. tomo — to enter, go into
474. tono — to apply for, to order (v): an application (n)
475. tonu — still
476. toro — to visit
477. toru — three
478. tua — beyond
479. tuahine — sister, of a male
480. tuakana — older sibling of the same sex
481. tuarua — second
482. tuatahi — first
483. tuhi — to write; to indicate, point out
484. tuhinga — writing, text (tuhi + nominal suffix -nga)
485. tuhituhi — to write, draw
486. tuku — to put off, to leave aside
487. tukua — let go! to be released (tuku + passive suffix -a)
488. tukuna — submitted, submit! released, release! (tuku + passive suffix -na)
489. tuna — eel
490. tungāne — brother, of a female
491. tunu — to cook, roast
492. tunua — (pass) be roasted; be baked
493. tupu — to grow, develop; a plant, shoot (variant of tipu)
494. tuāhine — female cousins or sisters of a male
495. tuākana — older brothers of a male; older sisters of a female
496. tā — print, draw
497. tākaro — to play
498. tāku — my, ā category possession, singular
499. tāmaki — omen, portent
500. tāna — his, her, ā category possession, singular
501. tāne — man, male
502. tāngata — people (plural of tangata)
503. tāone — town
504. tāra — dollar
505. tāria — (pass) be waited for; be expected; after a time
506. tātahi — seaside, beach
507. tātau — we; us; everyone
508. tātou — we, us, inclusive, three or more people
509. tāu — your (singular + one item)
510. tāua — we, us, you and I, inclusive, dual
511. tāwāhi — overseas
512. tē — Tē (i), particle used with verbs to make an emphatic…
513. tēhea — which, singular
514. tēnei — this (by speaker); this is; this
515. tēnā — that, by the listener
516. tēpu — table
517. tēra — Tēra. 1. definitive pron. (pl. ēra), used epithetically or absolutely.…
518. tērā — that over there, that
519. tētahi — a, one specific thing
520. tētehi — a, one specific thing (variant of tētahi)
521. tī — cabbage tree; tea
522. tīkina — be fetched (tiki + passive suffix -na (note the first i is lengthened)
523. tīmata — to begin, to start
524. tītī — muttonbird
525. tō — your (singular); to drag
526. tōkena — stockings, socks
527. tōku — my (singular)
528. tōmuri — to be late
529. tōna — his, her
530. tōu — your, ō category possession, singular
531. tū — stand; to be wounded; a wound
532. tūpato — to be careful; caution, cautious
533. tūpuna — grandparents (plural form of tupuna; variant of tīpuna)
534. tūru — chair, seat, stool
535. tūtaki — to meet; to close up, to block (v); meeting (n)
536. ua — to rain; rain
537. uaua — difficult (adj); muscle, vein, artery (n)
538. uru — join; enter; participate, go in; west
539. uta — to load; shore; inland; the land; to load
540. utu — cost, price; to pay for
541. waea — wire; phone
542. waenganui — middle, centre, between
543. waewae — foot, leg
544. waha — load, burden; to carry on the back; mouth
545. wahine — woman, wife
546. waho — out, outside, the outside
547. wai — water; who
548. waiata — to sing (v); song (n)
549. waiatatia — sung (pass. of waiata)
550. waiho — to remain, rest; to leave behind
551. waka — vehicle (land, air and sea)
552. wareware — to forget; forgetful (trans)
553. waru — eight; to scrape, to peel
554. wawata — to long for, yearn for; dream
555. wehe — to depart, leave; to separate, divide
556. wera — to burn; burnt; hot, heat
557. whaea — mother, aunt
558. whai — to follow, to chase; to have, to acquire
559. whakaae — to agree
560. whakaahua — to take photos; photograph
561. whakaako — teach
562. whakaaro — to think; thought, idea
563. whakaata — mirror
564. whakahoki — to return something, to reply
565. whakahokia — returned (whakahoki + passive suffix -a), returned
566. whakamaua — be fixed; put on (pass of whakamauto)
567. whakamā — to be embarrassed, ashamed
568. whakapai — to improve, to fix up, bless, cleaning
569. whakarite — to compare; arrange, organise
570. whakarongo — to listen
571. whakatika — to straighten, to correct, to fix
572. whakatā — to rest (v); relaxed (adj)
573. whakautu — to reply, to respond, answer
574. whara — to be injured
575. whare — house, building
576. wharepaku — toilet
577. whati — broken, snapped; break, snap; run away; turn
578. whea — where? (variant of hea)
579. whenua — land
580. whero — red
581. whiti — to cross; shine, rise
582. whitu — seven
583. whiwhi — to be in possession of; acquire, obtain, to get
584. whā — four
585. whāia — chased (pass of whai - note lengthening of first vowel)
586. whānau — family; to be born, be born
587. whāngai — to feed, to foster (v); fostered child (n)
588. wiki — week
589. wini — window
590. wā — time, times
591. wāhi — part, portion; place
592. wāhine — women, wives (plural form of wahine)
593. wānanga — study, analyze; seminar, a place of learning
594. ā — and; and then
595. āe — yes
596. āhea — Āhea = awhea, a hea, ad. interrogative, of future time.…
597. āhei — Āhei (i), pt. 1. Able. Mo te whai rawa ake…
598. āhua — shape, form, appearance
599. Ākarana — Auckland
600. ākonga — student
601. āku — my, mine (pl, for ā category items, plural form of tāku)
602. ākuanei — Ākuanei, ad. of time following. Presently, today. Akuanei u tonu…
603. āna — his, her, plural, for ā category items
604. ānō — as though; as if
605. āporo — apple
606. āpōpō — tomorrow
607. āta — gently, carefully, deliberately
608. ātaahua — beautiful, well formed
609. āu — your, ā category possession (plural form of tāu)
610. āwangawanga — worried
611. āwhea — Āwhea = ahea. ‖ hea.
612. āwhina — to help
613. āwhinatia — helped (pass of āwhina)
614. ēnei — these, near me (plural of tēnei)
615. ēnā — those, near you (plural of tēnā)
616. ērā — those (over there)
617. ētahi — some, a few (plural of tētahi)
618. ētehi — some (plural of tētehi, variant of ētahi)
619. ō — your, one person, neutral category possession, plural
620. ōku — mine, plural, ō category possession
621. ōna — his, her, plural, ō category possession
622. ōu — yours, one person, ō category possession, plural