Consonants

Māori language doesn’t have consonant clusters (a group or sequence of consonants that appear together in a syllable without a vowel between them). Consonants are mainly pronounced as they are in English. The exceptions being:

T

Varies depending on which vowel appears after it. When succeeded by an ‘a’, ‘e’ or ‘o’, it’s pronounced with little or no sibiliant (s) sound. When followed by an ‘i’ or ‘u’, it includes a slight sibilant sound, however not nearly as much as an English ‘t’.

R

Commonly called a ‘rolled’ or ‘liquid’ r. If you’re able to imitate the purring sound of a cat, you’ll know exactly what’s required to pronounce the consonant correctly. Failing this, the sound you should aim for is something similar to an English ‘d’ – but softer.

Consonants

Māori language doesn’t have consonant clusters (a group or sequence of consonants that appear together in a syllable without a vowel between them). Consonants are mainly pronounced as they are in English. The exceptions being:

T

Varies depending on which vowel appears after it. When succeeded by an ‘a’, ‘e’ or ‘o’, it’s pronounced with little or no sibiliant (s) sound. When followed by an ‘i’ or ‘u’, it includes a slight sibilant sound, however not nearly as much as an English ‘t’.

R

Commonly called a ‘rolled’ or ‘liquid’ r. If you’re able to imitate the purring sound of a cat, you’ll know exactly what’s required to pronounce the consonant correctly. Failing this, the sound you should aim for is something similar to an English ‘d’ – but softer.

Digraphs

The ‘ng’ digraph (representing the combined sound of two consonants) is pronounced as it sounds in the English word ‘singer'. A common mistake is to pronounce it as it appears in the word ‘finger’.

The ‘wh’ digraph is usually pronounced as an English ‘ f’ sound.

Note: Different Iwi (tribes) have different dialects. As Kai Tahu is the largest iwi in the south island, it is common to come across that specific dialect at marae and in south island resources. The Kai Tahu doesn't use the ng digraph, and instead replaces it with a k.

Examples:

• Kai Tahu (Ngai Tahu)

• Rakinui (Ranginui)

• Takaroa (Tangaroa)

• Hoki (Hongi)

Simple Greetings

50 Māori Kupu (words) every New Zealander should know

Example conversation

He Tono - Commands

Here are some common commands that you can use in different situations

Everyday Te Reo Māori