Te reo Māori is the indigenous language of Aotearoa (New Zealand) and a vital part of the nation’s identity. Learning basic Māori words is more than just a linguistic journey—it’s a way to engage deeply with Māori culture and values.
Whether you’re a Kiwi wanting to embrace your roots or are planning a trip to New Zealand, this guide will introduce you to essential Māori words and Māori phrases to get you started.
Te reo Māori is a taonga (treasure) and plays a central role in connecting people to the land, its history, and its people. For that reason, the benefits of learning common Māori words are far-reaching:
Greetings are some of the most important phrases to learn when embarking on a language adventure. Why? Because they’re how most interactions begin! They’re often short and simple, too, making them great for beginners.
We’ll explore a few common Māori greetings to help you make a great first impression.
These New Zealand greetings are often used in both formal and informal settings.
There are thousands of words in the Māori language, and learning them all will take time and dedication. But there are some Māori words that appear more often in daily life, the media, and conversations. We’ve put together some of the most common to help you get started:
These common Māori words are foundational and used across a wide range of te reo Māori sentences
While words can be enough to greet someone or give you clues about what’s being discussed, you might want to take your knowledge a step further. These Māori phrases go beyond greetings and will help you express emotions, give thanks, and navigate some daily situations.
With only around 200,000 speakers, te reo Māori is considered a niche language. Niche languages tend to be incredibly rewarding to learn but they carry their own unique set of challenges:
While there are definitely challenges to learning Māori, any learner can overcome them by taking the right steps.
If you want to master some basic Māori language phrases quickly, here are six simple steps to make noticeable progress.
If you made it this far, you’ve already taken the first step on your Māori adventure. Whether you’re looking to show respect in New Zealand or begin your journey toward fluency, the words and phrases in this guide are an excellent start.
Even by saying “good morning in Māori”, you’re helping keep the language alive. But, if you’d like to take your learning further, download Drops today. Our free Māori course will help you learn essential phrases with fun gameplay. The best part? You can make progress in as little as 5 minutes a day!
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“He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.” (What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.)
“Kia ora” is the most common Māori greeting, used for hello and general well-being.
“Aroha ahau ki a koe” means “I love you” in te reo Māori.
Māori grammar is relatively straightforward, but pronunciation and vocabulary take regular practice.
Kia ora (Hello), Whānau (Family), Kai (Food), Wai (Water), Aroha (Love).
“Kia ora koutou” is a common greeting to address a group.
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