Maori

Family: 

• Borean languages

  • Dené-Daic languages

    • Austric languages

      • Austronesian languages

        • Malayo-Polynesian languages

          • Oceanic languages

            • Polynesian languages

              • Eastern Polynesian

                • Tahitic

Region: Aotearoa (New Zealand)

Ethnicity: 

• Maori People

• White Pakehas

• Brown Pakehas

• Yellow Pakehas

• Japanese people

Speakers: 6.4 million (second speaker), 186,000 (first speaker)

Time Period: 1500s

Grammar Type: Verb–subject–object

Writing System: 

• Latin (Maori Alphabet; 1800s-2600s, Historically)

• Kanji and Hiragana (Maori version; 2600s-present)

Language Status: 

• Earth: Vulnerable (Real-life and Pre-Two Lights) / Not Endangered (Post-Two Lights to Post-Rewritten)

• Berbania: Not Endangered

• Reinachos: Not Endangered

• Delphia: Critically Endangered

Māori has mostly a verb-subject-object word order, is analytical and makes extensive use of grammatical particles to indicate grammatical categories of tense, mood, aspect, case, topicalization, among others. The personal pronouns have a distinction in clusivity, singular, dual and plural numbers, and the genitive pronouns have different classes (a class, o class and neutral) according to whether the possession is alienable or the possessor has control of the relationship (a category), or the possession is inalienable or the possessor has no control over the relationship (o category), and a third neutral class that only occurs for singular pronouns and must be followed by a noun.

Numbers / Tau

• zero, 0 - kore, koretake (これ, コレタケ / 零)

• one. 1 - tahi (タヒ / 一)

• two, 2 - rua (ルア / 二)

• three, 3 - toru (トル / 三)

• four, 4 - whā (バー / 四)

• five, 5 - rima (リマ / 五)

• six, 6 - ono (オノ / 六)

• seven, 7 - whitu (ビツ / 七 )

• eight, 8 - waru (ワル / 八)

• nine, 9 - iwa (イワ / 九)

• ten, 10 - tekau (テカウ / 十)

• 11 - tekau mā tahi (十 まー 一)

• 12 - tekau mā rua

• 13 - tekau mā toru

• 14 - tekau mā whā

• 15 - tekau mā rima

• 16 - tekau mā ono

• 17 - tekau mā whitu

• 18 - tekau mā waru

• 19 - tekau mā iwa

• 20 - rua tekau

• 21 - rua tekau mā tahi

• 22 - rua tekau mā rua

• 23 - rua tekau mā toru

• 30 - toru tekau

• 40 - whā tekau

• 50 - rima tekau

• 60 - ono tekau

• 70 - whitu tekau

• 80 - waru tekau

• 90 - iwa tekau

• 100 - kotahi rau

• 101 - kotahi rau tahi

• 111 - kotahi rau tekau mā tahi

• 200 - rua rau

• 234 - rua rau toru tekau mā whā

• 300 - toru rau

• 400 - whā rau

• 500 - rima rau

• 600 - ono rau

• 700 - whitu rau

• 800 - waru rau

• 900 - iwa rau

• 1000 - kotahi mano

• 1982 - kotahi mano, iwa rau, waru tekau mā rua

• 2000 - rua mano

• 2016 - rua mano, tekau mā ono

• 3000 - toru mano

• 4000 - whā mano

• 5000 - rima mano

• 6000 - ono mano

• 7000 - whitu mano

• 8000 - waru mano

• 9000 - iwa mano

• 10000 - tekau mano

• 1,000,000 - kotahi miriona (コタヒ 百万)

• 2,000,000 - rua miriona (ルア 百万 / 二 百万)

• 3,000,000,000 - toru piriona

People / Tangata

• People, human - Tangata (タガタ, タンガタ / 人間)

• Maoris - Māori (マーオリ)

• Morioris - Moriori (モリヨリ)

• Europeans, Asians, White People, Brown People - Pākehā (白人)

• Ainus - Te Ainu, Te tangata Ainu (テ-アイヌ, テ-人 アイヌ)

• Hawaiian people - Tangata Hawaii, Whenua-tawhiti Pākehā (陸-縁遠い 白人)

• Japanese - Hapani-Pākehā, Āhia-Pākehā (ハパニ白人)

• Filipino people - Te tangata Piripīni, Whenua-moana Pākehā, Wheanakeha (テ-人 ピリピーニ, ベアナケハ)

• Black people, African people - Tangata mangu (黒人種)

• Mixed - Whakauru, Hāwhe kāehe (混成, 混血)

Animals / Kararehe

• dog - kuri (クリ / 犬)

• cat - ngeru (ゲル / 猫)

• cattle - kau (カウ / 牛)

• goat - koti, koati (コち, コアチ / 山羊)

• tahr - koati-tawhito (コアチ-タビト / 山羊-中古)

• duck - rakiraki (ラキラキ / 鴨)

• chicken - heihei (ヘイヘイ / 鶏)

• rat, mouse - kiore (キョレ / 鼠)

• weasel - wihara, itatī (ヰハラ, イタチイ / 鼬)

• pig - poaka (ポアカ / 豚)

• bat - pekapeka (ペカペカ / 蝙蝠)

• sheep - hipi (ヒピ/ 羊)

• snake - neke, naka, nakahi (ネケ, ナカ, ナカヒ / 蛇)

• vine snake - nakahi-aka (蛇蔦)

• cobra - nakahi-potae (蛇被)

• python - nakahi-nui, hewhi (ナカヒ-ヌイ / 蠎)

• sea snake - nakahi-moana (蛇海)

• pigeon - kererū (鳩)

• possum - paihamu (指結び)

• moa bird - moa (モア)

• lion - raiona (ラいォナ)

• tiger - taika (タイカ / 虎)

• raccoon dog - tanuki (タヌキ / 狸)

• rabbit, hare - rapeti, utiaki (ラペチ, ウチァキ / 兎)

• bear - pea, kūma (ペア, ペァ / 熊)

• snail - pūpū (プープー / 蝸牛)

• cephalopod (squid, octopus) - wheke (ベケ / 烏賊)

• shark - mangō (鮫)

• whale - tohorā (鯨)

• dolphin - aihe (アイヘ / 海豚)

• pheasant - whehana, kitii (ベハナ, キチイ / 雉)

• penguin - kororā (コロラア)

• parson bird (archaic) - tūī (ツウイー)

• swan - poūwa (via Moriori language; 白鳥, ポウーワ)

• rifleman - tītitipounamu (チイチチポウナム)

• sparrow - pihoihoi (ピホイホイ, 雀)

• parrot - kākā (カーカー, 鸚哥)

• kakapo - kākāpō (カーカーポウ, 鸚哥夜)

• oystercatcher - tōrea (トウレア)

• albatross - toroa (トロワ)

• gannet, bobby - tākapu (タアカプ)

• cormorant - kawau (カワウ, 鵜)

• heron, egret - matuku (マツク, 鷺)

• tropicbird - amokura (アモクラ, 熱帯鳥)

• tern - tara (たら)

• fantail - pīwakawaka, tīwakawaka (ピーワカワカ, チーワカワカ)

• dragon - tarakona, riū (タラコナ, リュー, 竜)

• Haast's eagle - pouakai (ポウアカイ)

• Taniwha - taniwha (タニファ, タニバ, 龍)

Others / Ko etahi atu

• s

Loanwords from Japanese (Kupu mai i te reo Ahia-Pakeha/Hapanihi)

• fire shadow / Hokage (火影) - hokange (火影) / ahirangi (火影)

• bonsai - ponohai (盆栽)

• raccoon dog / tanuki (狸/たぬき) - tanuki (たぬき/狸)

• Greetings to one - Tēnā koe (formal), Kia ora (informal)

• Greetings to two - Tēnā kōrua (formal), Kia ora kōrua (informal)

• Greetings to three or more - Tēnā koutou (formal), Kia ora koutou (informal)

• Greetings to a friend - Tēnā koe e hoa (formal), Kia ora e hoa (informal)

• Dear Sir/Madam - Kei te rangatira, tēnā koe (very formal)

• Dear Vice-Chancellor - E te Tumu Whakarae, tēnā koe

• Dear Sir/Madam - Tēnā koe

• Dear Michael - Tēnā koe Mikaere (Michael, Maikeru)

• Hello - Kia ora

• Hello everyone - Kia ora koutou katoa!

• Good morning - Ata mārie, mōrena

• Hello to one person - Tēnā koe

• Hello to two people - Kia ora/Tēna kōrua

• Greetings to you (said to three or more people) - Tēnā koutou

• Welcome - Nau mai, haere mai

• How are you? - Kei te pēhea koe? 

• Good - Kei te pai 

• Really good - Tino pai

• What you say? - He aha to korero?

• What? - Nani? / He aha?

• See you later - Ka kite anō

• See you next time - Mā te wā

• Goodbye/farewell (said to someone leaving) - Haere rā 

• Goodbye (said to someone staying) - Hei kona rā

• Would you like a coffee? - He kawhe māu?

• Would you like a tea? - He tī māu?

• Would you like a water? - He wai māu?

• Sugar? Milk? - He huka? He miraka/kiūniū?

• Is (name) there (telephone) - Kei konā a (name)?

• Yes, one moment please - Āe, taihoa ake nei

• Is (name) in (office) - Kei konei a (name)?

• Sorry s/he is in a meeting. - Kāo, kei te hui ia.

• Sorry s/he is in a class. - Kāo, kei te whakaako ia.

• Yes, but unfortunately s/he is busy at the moment. - Āe, engari kāore ia i te wātea i tēnei wā.

• Send him/her an email. - Tukuna he īmera ki a ia.

• I would like to meet with you. - Me hui tahi tāua.

• I would like to meet with you all. - Me hui tahi tātou.

• Shall I meet you (one person) for lunch? - Me haere tāua ki te tina?

• Shall we (more than one person) meet for lunch? - Me haere tātou ki te tina?

• Where? - Ki hea?

• At the marae? - Ki te marae?

• At the Hub? - Ki te Ihonui?

• I will call past your office. - Ka peka au ki tō tari.

• Meet me at the Library. - Me tūtaki tāua ki Te Pātaka Kōrero.

• I am teaching until 1pm. - Kei te whakaako au ki te kotahi karaka.

• My computer is broken. - Kua te pakaru taku rorohiko.

• Call 5050 - Waeahia te nama rima, kore, rima, kore.

• The internet is slow today. - He pōturi rawa te ipurangi i tēnei rā.

• The printer is out of paper. - Kua pau te pepa i te mīhini tā.

• Do you have a pen I can borrow? - He pene tāhau?

• Yes, I have a pen. - Āe, he pene āku.

• I will care for the pigs on your farm. - Mākū e tiaki ngā poaka o tō paamu.

• Yours sincerely (one signatory) - Nāku noa, nā

• Yours sincerely (two signatories) - Nā māua noa, nā

• Yours sincerely (three signatories) - Nā mātou noa, nā

• Yours faithfully (one signatory) - Nāku, nā

• That is all for now - Heoi anō tāku mō nāianei

• See you (again) - Ka kite (anō)

• With best wishes - Ngā manaakitanga

• Regards - Ngā mihi

• Thanks - Kia ora

• Thank you - Whakawhetai koe

• Many thanks - Kia ora rawa atu

• Thank you so much/very much - ka nui te mihi

• All the best - Noho ora mai

• See you tomorrow - Hei āpōpō

• See you on Monday - Hei te Rāhina

• 
  

• English: The lonely sheep cannot eat grass but must subdue the spirit.

• Maori Ratini: E kore e taea e te hipi mokemoke te kai tarutaru engari me pehi te wairua.

• Maori Kanji: エ コレ え タエヤ え テ 羊 征服 テ カい 草 エガリ メ ペヒ テ 魂。

• Japanese Kanji: 孤独な羊は草を食べることができませんが、精神を鎮めなければなりません。

• Romaji: Kodokuna hitsuji wa kusa o taberu koto ga dekimasenga, seishin o shizumenakereba narimasen.

• English: As man disappears from sight, the land remains.

• Maori Ratini: Ka ngaro te tangata i te tirohanga kanohi, ka mau tonu te whenua.

• Maori Kanji: カ ガロ テ 人間 い テ チロハガ カノヒ、 カ マう トヌ テ 土地。

• Japanese Kanji: 人間が視界から消えても、土地は残ります。

• Romaji: Ningen ga shikai kara kiete mo, tochi wa nokorimasu.

• English: There is food at the end of my hands.

• Maori Ratini: He kai kei te pito o oku ringa.

• Maori Kanji: ヘ 食物 ケい テ ピト お オク 手。

• Japanese Kanji: 手の先には食べ物があります。

• Romaji: Te no sakini wa tabemono ga arimasu.

• English: A duck swims with her children.

• Maori Ratini: Ka kauhoe te rakiraki me ana tamariki.

• Maori Kanji: カ 泳ぐ テ 鴨 メ アナ 児童。

• Japanese Kanji: アヒルが子供たちと一緒に泳ぎます。

• Romaji: Ahiru ga kodomo-tachi to issho ni oyogimasu.

• English: 

• Maori Ratini: 

• Maori Kanji: 

• Japanese Kanji: 

• Romaji: