Māori Word Lists
Level 6
a - [a name follows] | Not translatable into an English word; nominal particle, used before names and pronouns: a Mere, a kōrua, a ia.
ā kōrua - your (plural, addressed to two people)
ā koutou - your [plural, addressed to three or more people]
ā mātou - our [plural, theirs and mine]
ā māua - our [plural, his or hers and mine]
ā rātou - their [plural - three or more people]
ā rāua - their [plural, two people]
ā tātou - our [plural, three or more people]; our
ā tāua - our [plural, yours and mine]
ahatia - what happened to (pass of aha)
āhea? - when? (future time)
āheitanga - ability, capacity, capability, competence, accessibility.
ahi kā - ownership through occupation
ahiahi - early evening, afternoon
āhua - shape, form, appearance
āhuatanga - property, characteristic, feature, circumstance (āhua + nominal suffix -tanga)
ai - Not translatable into an English word; verbal particle; used in various subordinate structures, for example relative clauses, adverbials, ...ai
aituā - disaster, accident, misfortune; to suffer a disaster
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)
ākina - be smashed against (pass. of āki)
ākiritia - be thrown away (pass. of ākiri)
akoako - learning, to consult together, to practice
akona - learned (pass. of ako)
akoranga - thing that is taught or learnt; lesson
aku - my, mine (plural form of taku, neutral for possession category)
amiami - sweet-smelling shrub, herb
āmiomio - turn round and round; be giddy
amohia - be carried (pass. of amo)
āmua - future, time to come
amuamu - groan, grumble, complain
anake - only, just, alone
anamata - time to come, hereafter, the future
angitū - be successful, lucky, fortunate
anuanu - disgusting; disgusted
āpiti - add; put together
apu - gather greedily; gust
āputa - space, interval, gap
arā - over there, away from us both; that is, namely
ārai - curtain; to screen off, block
āraia - (pass) be warded off
areare - to be open, clear, receptive
arero - tongue; point of taiaha
ariā - feeling; theory, concept
aro - to face, turn towards, take notice of, pay attention to
aroha - love, sympathy, compassion
arotake - to evaluate, review (v); review, audit (n)
arunga - a chase (n; from aru - to chase)
āta - gently, carefully, deliberately
atawhaitia - to be shown kindness (pass. of atawhai)
ate - liver; seat of affections
atu - away from current orientation
(often not translatable by a separate English word)
āu - your, ā category possession (plural form of tāu)
aua - those (previously mentioned, plural of taua)
auautia - barked, howled (pass of auau)
auē - alas! (an expression of woe, sadness)
aukati - border, boundary (n); to dam a stream, prevent one from passing (v)
aumangea - champion; resilient, confident
autaia - not bad, better than expected
autāne - brother-in-law (of a woman)
awhitia - to be embraced (pass - awhi + tia)
e - by; of course; a term of address follows; [in the future]; particle used in a negation
e ai ki - according to, in someone else's opinion
E hē! - No! that's wrong!
e hia? - how many?; how many are?
e hoa - friend (when speaking to someone)
e hoa mā - friends (when speaking to a group of people)
e noho rā - farewell (said by those leaving), goodbye to people staying
ea - be avenged; be paid for; worth
ehara - exclamation: sure enough, without a doubt; not
eke - to embark, get onto; riding
ekengia - (pass) to be boarded; to be climbed; to be earned
ēnā - those, near you (plural of tēnā)
ēnei - these, near me (plural of tēnei)
ētahi - some, a few (plural of tētahi)
ētehi - some (plural of tētehi, variant of ētahi)
haeata - beam of light; dawn; laser beam
haehaea - to be cut up; to be torn (pass of haehae)
haerea - travelled (pass of haere)
hai - as, for (variant of hei)
Hana - Santa Claus, Father Christmas
hanga - construction, practice, thing
hanga - to build, erect, make (v); construction, practice (n)
hangaa - built (pass. of hanga)
hangaia - built (hanga + passive suffix -ia)
hangarau - technology; funny (amusing); joke
hāngi - traditional earth oven
hao - to catch in a net, a net
hapa - mistake; supper, dinner
hapū - subtribe; to be pregnant
hara - to make a mistake; mistake
hari - to feel happy; to take or carry
haria - to be carried (hari + passive suffix -a)
haruru - to resound; a heavy sound
hauhakena - harvest! harvested (pass. of hauhake)
hautō - drawer; chest of drawers
hautoru - to divide into thirds (v); a third (n)
hauwarea - to be weak, insignificant, lean
hāwhe - half (n); to halve (v)
hāwhetia - to be halved (pass. of hāwhe)
hē - wrong; error, mistake
hei - at, in, with, for, to, as a; hay; necklace (Various meanings, eg future preposition)
heke - rafter (n); to descend, get off (v)
hekea - to be descended (pass. of heke)
hekenga - descent (heke + nominal suffix -nga)
heketua - toilet (that you sit on when you're in the wharepaku)
hemo - to pass by, be gone; died, die
here - to tie up, fasten, bind with cord
here - to tie, to bind (v0: dog lead (n)
herea - tied up (here + passive suffix -a)
herua - combed (pass of heru)
heu - pull apart; razor; to shave
hī - to catch fish with a line
hīa - to be fished with a line (pass. of hi)
hiahiatia - wanted, desired; want! (pass. of hiahia)
hiako - skin; bark (of tree)
hianga - to play around, be mischievous
hihiratia - go over carefully! check! (pass. of hihira)
hihiri - industrious; long for
hika - a term of address for both sexes (eg 'E hika')
hīkaka - to be rash, brisk, eager; excited.
hiki - to carry in the arms, to nurse
hikitia - (pass) be raised, be lifted
hīkoi - to walk, step, tread
hiku - end, rear; tail of a fish or reptile
hine - term of address for a girl: E hine!
hinga - to fall from an upright position; to fall (and not be able to get up again)
hiore - tail (of four-legged animal)
hīrere - to rush; waterfall; shower
hīteki - to walk on tip toe, prance on one foot, strut
hiwi - line of descent; ridge of a hill
hiwitia - pull back, jerk! (pass. of hiwi)
hoa - friend; partner; spouse
hoe - to paddle, row (v); oar (n)
hoea - (pass) to be rowed
hōhā - annoyed, bored (adj), a nuisance (n)
hōhonu - deep (adj); depth (n)
hoiho - yellow-eyed penguin
hoki - to go back, return; also, indeed
hokia - returned (pass. of hoki)
hokinga - return
(hoki + nominal suffix -nga)
hoko - to buy, sell, purchase
hokona - sold (hoko + passive suffix -na)
homai - give (to the speaker)
hone - to plunder, acquire wrongfully (v); ocean swell (n)
hongere - channel (TV), TV channels
hongia - nose was pressed (pass. of hongi)
hononga - network; union; link; relationship
hopo - to be fearful, apprehensive, overawed
hōpua - pond, puddle; pool of liquid
hopukina - to be seized, snatched, caught
hora - display; scatter; spread out
horahia - (pass) be spread out; be displayed
horekau - absolutely no!, absolutely not!
horoa - (pass) be fallen upon
horoi - to wash, to clean
horoia - washed (pass of horoi)
horomia - swallowed (pass. of horomi)
hotu - long for; sigh; sob
huakina - to open (huaki + passive suffix -na)
huhu - a larva; type of beetle
huia - a treasured bird, now extinct
huihia - covered; cover! (pass. of huihi)
huihui - assembly, group, constellation
hūkuitia - scrubbed; scrub! (pass. of hūkui)
hunaa - hidden (pass of huna)
hunarei - father-in-law; mother-inlaw
hunga - group, people, company of people
hunōnga - daughter-in-law; son-in-law
hūpeke - bend arms or legs; jump
hurihia - be turned; be changed (pass of huri)
hurihuri - to turn round and round, over and over
huringa - turning, conversion, changing
huripokia - to be turned over; turn over! (pass. of huripoki)
huru - glow; hair; feather
hutia - pick! break off !; picked, plucked, broken off (pass. of huti)
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.
i te - was happening in the past
ihi - power, essential force
ihiihi - terrified; excited; fear
īnoi - beg; pray; request; prayer
īnoia - (pass) be prayed for; be requested
inu - to drink (v); drink (n)
inumia - [the liquid was] drunk (inu + mia; pass)
ipu - container, bowl; drinking glasses
iri - to be hanging; rest upon
irirangi - radio (usually as reo irirangi)
ita - held firm; be committed
ka - will happen | Verbal particle with a range of meanings; not directly translated with an English word
ka mutu - and also, and so, furthermore
kahakina - (pass) be hijacked; be kidnapped
kāhore - Negative used for verb sentences
kāhu - harrier; hawk; chief
kāhui - group; cluster; flock
kahurangi - dark blue; woman of high status or rank
kaihautū - leader; bus driver, pilot, truck driver
kaiiwi - strangers, foreigners
kaimahi - worker, employee (kai- + mahi)
kaitā - big, sturdy of build
kaitaka - fine cloak with ornamental border; whipping-top
kaitākaro - player, sportsperson
(kai- + tākaro)
kaitiaki - caretaker, caregiver (kai- + tiaki)
kaituki - coxswain (a person who gives the time to the paddlers on a canoe)
kakama - quick; active; smart, clever
kakara - fragrance, scent, smell; to be delicious
kakea - (pass) be climbed; be overcome
kamakama - smart, clever; talkative; joyous
kamokamo - twinkle; marrow, squash (the vegetable)
kāngia - (pass) be lit, be burnt
kao - cooked and dried kūmara
kāore - negative used for verb sentences
kāore kau - not at all!; absolutely none!; absolutely no!
kapa - group, row of people, as in: kapa haka
kape - photocopy, copy; crescent (shape)
kapi - to be covered or occupied (of space), filled with
kapiti - gorge; crevice; shut in
kapo - to grasp, snatch; flash; lightning
karapitihia - fastened together side by side; fasten together! (pass. of karapiti)
karapoi - around; surround; to be surrounded
karauna - crown; the Crown, government
karawhiu - whirl around, thrash around; debate; 'give it heaps'
karekau - absolutely not!, absolutely no!
kārewa - buoy; float; surface of water
katia - shut (pass of kati); shut!
kaua - negative word, do not, eg: Kaua e tangi
kauaka - Negative word, do not (variant of kaua; eg:
Kauaka e tangi)
kauhau - recite; preach; speech; lecture
kauika - school of fish; pod of whales
kaupapa - topic, theme, plan, subject
kauroria - stirred up, whisked; whisk! (pass. of kauroria)
kauwhau - recite; preach; lecture; speech
kāwanatanga - government (kāwana + nominal suffix -tanga)
kawea - brought (kawe + passive suffix -a)
kawenga - load, luggage, burden
(kawe + nominal suffix -nga)
kē - already; different; other; differently; rather; strange; actually
kei - Various uses, meanings, eg:
preposition, present time and place location; at the moment; it might be that...
ki - to, at, →; | Has various uses and meanings
kīa - (pass) be said; be filled
kia ora - hello; thank you; be well
Kia ū! - Be resolute, unyielding!
kiekie - a climbing plant used in weaving
kikia - kicked (pass. of kiki)
kimihia - sought; look for! (kimi + passive suffix -hia)
kīnaki - relish (to accompany food); song following a speech
kīrehu - idiom, a kīwaha you don't understand
kitea - seen (kite + passive suffix -a)
kitenga - observation, seeing (kite + nominal suffix -nga)
kīwaha - colloquial saying, idiom
kiwi - native bird of Aotearoa
ko - is, are (Various uses; not usually translatable with an English word), [equals], [topic marker]
kōanga - spring (the season of)
kōauau - flute played with nose or mouth
kohi - to collect, gather together
kohia - (pass) be collected; be gathered
kohikohia - collect! collected (pass. of kohikohi)
kohu - mist; concave; hollow
kōhua - to boil; cooking pot
koia koia - well! you don't say! really! indeed!
koinā - that is, those are; like that
koirā - that is, those are; like that
kōiri - to plant [e.g. potatoes]
kōiti - little finger; little toe
kōkiri - to charge, rush at, to thrust forward, attack
komotia - inserted; insert! (pass. of komo)
konā - there, by listener
koneke - rollerblades; skating; sledge; to slide along
kopa - disappear; crippled; sandal; wallet; schoolbag
kōpaki - to envelope, fold, wrap, folder
kōpeketia - tucked in; tuck in! (pass. of kōpeke)
kōpere - a dart; a sling; rainbow
kōpure - blotchy, spotted; ladybird
koraha - open country; desert; mud-flats
korare - leaves of edible vegetables
korekau - nothing, none, absolutely no!
kōrerotia - spoken (kōrero + passive suffix -tia)
kori - to move, wriggle, play
korihi - to sing [birds]; song [of birds]
koro - term of address for an elderly man, grandfather (E koro)
koroua - elderly man, grandfather
koru - coiled; shape of fern shoot
kota - cockle-shell; sawdust
kotikara - finger; fingernail; toe; toenail
kotikoti - cut to pieces; divide lands; striped
kotiti - be displaced; move aside
kōtonga - misery, distress, depression
kotutu - boil up (meat and veges)
koutou - you, three or more people
kōwhai - yellow; a native tree
kua - then; have; has; had | Verbal particle; indicating completed action or movement into a state
kuhu - to enter, to go or come in
kuhua - (pass) be entered; be put on (clothes)
kuhuna - entered; enter! go in! (pass. of kuhu)
kui - Term of address for an elderly woman (eg 'E kui'.)
kuia - elderly woman, grandmother
kuku - draw together; nip; nightmare; mussel
kūmea - pulled, dragged, stretched out
kumete - wooden bowl or trough
kūngia - (pass) be drawn together; be nipped
kūpapa - side with the government; traitor
kura - school; treasured item
kuru - strike with the fist; weary
kuti - draw together; nip; close hand or mouth; nightmare
kūtia - (pass) be drawn together; be closed
kūwaha - door; entrance; mouth
kūware - to be ignorant, unaware
mā runga - to travel by, by the means of
mā wai - who is the one who will?
māhau - for you
(variant of māu)
maheni - to be smooth, sleek; magazine
mahia - worked (mahi + passive suffix -a)
mahira - to be inquisitive, curious, nosy
mahue - to be left behind (trans)
mahuetia - (pass) be passed by; be left behind; be deserted
mai - towards the speaker in space or in orientation; to here
māia - capable, brave, bold
maihi - bargeboards of meeting house
maika - banana (also panana)
maikuku - claw; fingernail, toenail
maimoa - cherish, take care of
maimoatia - cherished, taken care of; cherish! take care of! (pass. of maimoa)
maioha - greet affectionately; welcome
makau - favourite; lover; husband; wife
makawe - hair of the head (human, used in plural: ngā makawe)
mākū - to be saturated, wet, damp
makuku - lazy; pleasant tasting
mākutu - bewitch; magic; spell
māmā - mother (n); easy, simple (adj)
māna - for him, her, by him, her
manaaki - to look after, to show hospitality towards
manahau - to be cheerful, triumphant, stoked
manaia - abstract carved figure
manawanui - to be patient, steadfast, determined, resilient
māngai - mouth; representative
mania - slippery; smooth; to slide
manioro - to make a noise, create a disturbance
mānu - float; be launched; overflow; be flooded
mao - fine weather, clearing weather
māoka - cooked, ripe, mature
māori - clear; normal, ordinary
māoriori - to be free from anxiety, contented, at ease
mapu - flow freely; sigh; sob
marae - traditional Māori gathering place
marara - scattered; separated; umbrella
mareikura - esteemed friend, respected friend
mārie - fortunate; peaceful
mārika - indeed, quite, certainly; āe mārika
mārire - quietly; thoroughly; peaceful
mārua - hollow; pit; valley; vacuum
mata - face, eye (n); raw (adj)
mataara - to be alert, vigilant (s), to keep awake, observe (v)
matatau - to be competent, skilled, proficient, expert
mātau - to comprehend (v), to be competent (s)
matawā - clock; live broadcast
mate - to be sick, ill, dead
māti - match (to light a fire)
matikuku - claw; fingernail; toenail; hoof
matomato - to be green (of foliage), grow vigorously, flourish
mātou - we, us (three or more people, excluding the person/ people addressed)
mātua - parents, fathers (plural form of matua)
māu - for you, by you; ā category possession
māua - we, us (two people, excluding addressee)
māui - on the left hand, left side
maumau - waste (of time, effort etc)
maunu - come out; be drawn
mauria - to be carried (mau + passive suffix -ria)
māuruuru - to lessen the effects of sadness
me - and, should, with (various meanings, uses, eg with, like, should)
mea - a thing (n); to say (v)
mea ake - suddenly; it won't be long at all
meatia - (pass) be done, be said, be thought
mehemea - if (presuming not; cf. ki te, if, expressing simple uncertainty)
mīharo - to wonder at; amazing
mihi - to greet; thank; acknowledge
mimia - pissed (pass. of mimi)
mimiti - dried up; swallowed up
minamina - desire, wish for mine be gathered together
miri - rub; stroke; soothe; wipe
mirimiria - appeased, mollified; soothed, stroked
miro - thread, a type of pine tree
mō - for, unrealised, ō category possession, about
moata - early; early morning
moea - married (pass. of moe)
moeroa - sleepyhead; to sleep in
mōhiotanga - knowledge
(mōhio + nominal suffix -tanga)
mōhiotia - known (mōhio + passive suffix -tia)
mohoa - to the present time
moka - end, margin, piece
moke - solitary; solitary person
mōkī - tie in a bundle; raft made of flax stalks; package
mōku - for me, unrealised, o category possession
momoe - keeping the eyes shut
mōna - for him, her, unrealised, o category possession
monoa - to desire, admire, esteem, have a high regard for
more - bare; plain, not decorated; toothless
motokia - (pass) be struck with fist
motumotu - be divided into isolated portions, broken into small pieces
moumou - waste (n): to be wasteful (v)
muku - wipe, rub; rubber (stationery)
mukua - rubbed (pass of muku)
muna - darling; secret, mystery; hide
mūrau - fame, a notable example
mūrere - to be clever, cunning, crafty
muringa - afterwards; youngest child
muru - forgive; plunder; rub; wipe
murua - (pass) be forgiven
mutu - be ended, finished (but not necessarily completed)
mutunga - end (mutu + noun ending -nga)
nā - Various meanings, eg by, belonging to (ā category), by way of
nāku - mine, realised possession,
it was done by me (ā category)
namunamuā - flavoured; flavour! (pass. of namunamuā)
nau - come, go (as in: Nau mai!)
nāwai - presently, in due course, after a while
nāwai rā - after a time, in due course, for some time
nē - tag question, translated variously depending on the English structure; eh?
nē? - really?; isn't it?; shall I/we?
ngāhau - to be enjoyable, entertaining, interesting.
ngāi - prefix meaning tribe or clan (e.g., Ngāi Tahu)
ngākau - heart, as in seat of the affections and feelings
ngaki - avenge; to plant; to weed
ngakuru - to drop off, drop out; to form into fruit
ngana - to persist, to try hard, be persistent
nganga - stone of fruit; hail; shell; husk
ngare - blood relations; family; send; urge
ngaro - to be lost, missing, gone, hidden (trans)
ngata - snail (n); to be satisfied (v)
Ngāti - tribal name prefix (as in: Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu)
ngāwari - kind, pleasant of personality; easy
ngeri - chant with actions
ngota - fragment; particle; atom
ngote - to suck the breast (v); small (adj)
ngū - squid; silent, speechless
niao - edge; rim; top plank of canoe
nihoniho - to be antagonistic, quarrelsome
niwha - brave; rage; barb
noa - free from tapu; only, just, merely
nohoia - (pass) be sat upon, be inhabited
nōku - mine, realised possession, ō category
nōna - belongs to him or her (Å catergory), his, hers
nuinga - majority (nui + nominal suffix -nga)
numia - passed by (pass of numi)
nunui - big (plural form)
ō - your, one person, neutral category possession, plural
ō kōrua - your (plural, two people)
ō koutou - your (plural, three or more people)
ō mātou - our (plural, theirs and mine)
ō māua - our (plural, his or hers and mine)
ō rātou - their (plural, three or more people)
ō rāua - their (plural, two people)
ō tāua - yours and mine (plural)
oati - promise, guarantee, pledge
oha - dying speech; keepsake; greet
ohaoha - abundant; generosity; generous
ohooho - panic; cherished; requiring care
ohorere - to start suddenly, be startled; surprised
ohu - group of volunteers; workers
oka - chef's knife, dagger; prick; stab; yam
ōku - mine, plural, ō category possession
ōna - his, her, plural, ō category possession
opaina - thrown, passed (pass of opa)
ope - group travelling together
opeopea - cared for; care for! (pass. of opeope)
opeopengia - cared for; care for! (pass. of opeope)
ora - alive, well, healthy, safe
oranga - health, life
(ora + nominal suffix -nga)
ōrite - to be the same as
otaota - vegetation, herbs, grass, weeds
otinga - conclusion, end, completion
otirā - but, on the other hand
ōu - yours, one person, ō category possession, plural
pā - a fortified settlement (n); to touch (v)
Paerau - meeting place of the dead
paeroa - range of hills; wind which blows along the shore
pahū - drum (n); blow up, explode (v)
pahupahu - to bark (of a dog); to prattle on
pahure - escape; pass by; be carried out successfully
pai - good (adj); to like (v); good
pāina - to dry; warm oneself; sunbathe
painga - benefit, skill, good qualities
(pai + nominal suffix -nga)
paingia - (pass) be approved; be liked
pakanga - to fight, battle, war, hostility
pākaru - to break forth, break into pieces
Pākehā - New Zealander of European descent
pakeke - hard, stiff (adj); to grow up (v); age, adult, elder (n)
paketai - driftwood; anything cast up by the sea
pākia - (pass) be struck; be touched
pakipaki - to applaud, to clap; applause
pākiwaha - to boast, brag (v), to be boastful (s)
pakō - blistered; make a loud sound
panā - (pass) be driven away, be expelled
paneke - goal (in sport); to score; to advance
pangā - (pass) be thrown; be passed
pani - orphan (n); to be orphaned (v): to smear, spread out (v)
pania - to be spread; spread! (pass. of pani)
panoni - to change [v]; change [n]
pānui - to read; to publish, advertise; notice, advertisement
pānuitia - read; advertised (pass of pānui)
pao - break; sing; a type of song; strike, pound
paoa - smoke (from a fire)
paoka - fork; pierce; stab
paokatia - stabbed; stab! (pass. of paoka)
papai - good (plural), very good
para - blood relation; pollen; sediment; waste material
pare - to ward off, to divert
pātai - question; to ask a question
pātaia - (pass) be asked; be questioned
pātaka - elevated storehouse; pantry
pātari - amuse; entice; provoke
patu - to strike, hit; to kill
patua - hit/killed (patu + passive suffix -a)
pātuhi - text message, to text
pau - to be consumed, used up completely, all gone (trans)
pāuaua - to be strong, persevering
pēhi - press; oppress; repress
pēhia - (pass) be pressed; be oppressed; be repressed
pēnā - like that, near listener
pēnei - like this, near speaker
pepe - flutter; butterfly
pepeha - proclamation of origin
pewa - bow-shaped; eyebrow; raise the eyebrows
pēwhea - how? (variant of pēhea)
pīata - bright; clear; shine; shiny
pīkau - backpack; carry on back; take responsibility for
piko - bend; bent; corner; curve; curved
pine - close together; pin
pīngao - seaside plant used in weaving; kodak yellow
piri - to stick to, to cling
pirohia - score a goal! scored (pass)
pito - belly button, end, extremity
piu - skipping; throw; step; jump
piupiu - flax skirt (worn as part of traditional costume, eg in kapa haka)
pōhā - youngest child; food container; pastry
pōhēhē - to think mistakenly, be mistaken
poi - poi, small, soft ball on string
poipoi - to nurture, encourage
poka - hole (n); to make a hole in, to pierce (v)
pōkai - flock, swarm; roll up, wind up, wrap around
pōkaia - pierced; make a hole in! (pass of pōka)
pokepoke - to mix up with water, etc., knead, mold, shape, form
pokepokea - mixed, kneaded; mix! knead! (pass. of pokepoke)
poki - to cover over, swamp, spread over
pokia - to be covered over, swamped, spread over
pōkokohua - a term of contempt - dickhead, bastard
pona - cord; knot, tie in knot; ankle; knuckle
Pōneke - Wellington [Port Nicholson]
popoki - cover; cover over; kneecap; lid; spread over
pora - large sea-going canoe; foreign; stranger
pōro - ball (also 'paoro')
porohita - circle, round (variant of porowhita)
poroporoaki - farewell speech; say goodbye to; a tribute to someone who has died
porowhita - circle, round (variant of porohita)
pōteretere - to be drifting about, backwards and forwards
pōtiki - child; youngest child
pōua - grandfather; old person
poupou - father-in-law; mother-inlaw; old people; peg; post (especially inside meeting house); steep
Puanga - Rigel - the seventh brightest star in the sky
pūhā - green spinach-like vegetable
pūhia - (pass) be blown; be shot
puhipuhi - blow or puff frequently; to smoke
puia - hot spring; volcano
pūkaea - large wooden wind instrument
pūkana - stare with bulging eyes (fierce facial expressions used in actions songs and haka)
pūkarakara - fragrance (n), to be fragrant, well flavoured (s)
pūkenga - skills, skill, expertise, lecturer
pūmanawa - to draw a long breath [v]; natural talent [n]
puni - camp; company; crowd; dam
pūoro - to sing (v); a song, music (n)
pupū - to bubble up, arise from
pupuritia - be held, be retained, kept possession of, gripped (pass of pupuri)
pūrere - appliance, machine (electric) (n); to escape (v)
purua - put in/blocked up (puru + passive suffix -a)
puta - to appear, to come out
putanga - opening, exit
(puta + nominal suffix -nga)
pūtea - budget, resources, money
pūtiki - knot; to knot; topknot
putu - to heap up; a heap, pile
pūtūmua - joiner; particle/preposition
pūwhā - green spinach-like vegetable
rā - day; the sun; over there
rahi - large, numerous, great, big
rāhui - ban, place a ban; reserve
raka - yonder, over there; agile; lock
ranga - group of people; raise
rangahau - research (n), to seek, pursue, research (v)
rangahaua - to seek, search out, pursue, research, investigate.
rango - fly, blowfly (n); to hear (v)
rangona - to be heard (passive form of rongo)
ranua - mixed together (pass. of ranu)
rapa - to look for (v); rubber (n)
rapaia - be sought (pass of rapa)
raparapa - the ends of the bargeboards of meeting house; to guess
rapua - be looked for, to be searched for, sought (pass of ropu)
rarī - disturbance; uproar
raro - under, below; time
raru - trouble; to be in difficulty, in trouble
raruraru - trouble, problem; be in difficulty, in trouble
rata - friendly, at ease (adj); calm (n); to like (v)
rātau - them; they (three or more people)
ratoa - to serve, provide, allocate
rātou - they, them, three or more people
rātou ko - and also (joining 3 or more names eg. Bob, Jim and Fred)
rāua - them; they (two people)
rāua ko - and joining 2 names eg. Jim and Fred
raupā - cracked; calloused
raupatu - conquest; confiscate; take by force
rautao - leaves for wrapping food in oven; to wrap round with leaves
rawa - Various meanings, eg too, quite, very; really
rāwāhi - bank; shore; side; the other side; overseas
raweke - busy; disturb; prepare; meddle with
rēhia - pleasure, amusement
rehu - to disappear (v); to split into chips (v); fine spray (n)
rei - bosom; chest; ivory; jewel; leap, rush; treasured possession; tusk
reia - (pass) to be sought after; to be popular
reira - there (previously mentioned)
rekoata - record (n), to record (v)
remu - tail feathers, posterior, buttock
rerea - flown (pass. of rere)
rerehua - to be beautiful, aesthetically pleasing
rerenga - sentence; flight, journey, voyage
rerenoa - indefinite nominal phrase
rērere - run from one place to another
rerewā - temporal expressions, time phrases
reureu - lock of hair on the side of the head
rewa - float; melt; start; be elevated; mast
rewha - eyebrows; eyelid; cross- eyed
rīhi - dish; dishes; lease
ringihia - pour in! poured in (pass. of ringi)
ripo - deep pool; whirlpool
rīria - (pass) to get in trouble, be told off
riro - gone away; to be awarded: acquired, obtained
rite - to be ready, like, similar
rito - middle shoot of a plant
rō - in (short form of roto, as in: ki rō whare)
roanga - length of time
(roa + nominal suffix -nga)
rohe - district, area, boundary, territory
roherohe - mark off by boundary; to separate
rōhia - to be calm, smooth, tranquil
rokohanga - found; reached; to be happened upon
rongo - to hear, perceive, feel
roroi - to grate into a pulp
roto - in, inside, within; lake
rourou - small basket, food basket
rua - two; grave, hole, storage pit
rui - shake; scatter; sow
ruia - (pass) be shaken; be scattered; be sown
rukuruku - dive or dip frequently; wrap up small
rumaki - immerse, immersion; dip; drown; bury
rūpahu - nonsense; lie, tell lies rure scatter; shake
rūri - ruler; survey (land)
rūrū - to shake hands, wave about (v), handshake (n)
rutu - bump, throw down, tackle
rutua - (pass) be jolted; be tackled; be tossed about
tā kōrua - your (singular, addressed to two people)
tā koutou - your (singular, addressed to three or more people)
tā mātou - our [singular, theirs and mine]
tā māua - our (singular, his or hers and mine)
tā rātou - their (singular, three or more people)
tā rāua - their (singular, two people)
tā tātou - our (singular, three or more people)
tā tāua - our (singular, two people)
tae - to reach, arrive (v); colour (n)
taea - to be able, to be achieved (tae + passive suffix -a)
taenga - arrival (tae + nominal suffix -nga)
tahaki - shore (from the sea); to one side
tahanga - empty; slightly, a bit; naked
tāhau - your, ā category possession, singular (variant of tāu)
tahe - flow; menstruation
tāhei - necklace; stripes
tāheke - descend, drop; steep; waterfall
tāhoe - to swim (from one point to another)
tahu - burn; cook; light (set on fire); husband, wife; lover
tahua - pile of food; sum of money
tāhuahua - be in lumps or hillocks, sanddunes
tāhuhu - subject of a sentence
tāia - to be dumped, struck, beaten, thumped, thrown down, tackled, overcome, (pass of tā)
taiaha - weapon (a long hardwood weapon with a pointed tongue at one end and a long flat narrow blade at the other)
taiao - world, earth, environment, country
taiepa - fence; wall (freestanding )
tāiki - rib; wicker basket
tāina - (plural of taina) younger brothers of a male, younger sisters of a female
taitaia - wrestled, knocked (pass. to taitai)
taka - to come around in a cycle; to fall from a height
takahi - trample; tread; stamp; disobey, violate
takahia - trampled (pass. of takahi)
tākai - bind; wrap up; bandage
takakino - act hurriedly; to abuse; to debase; to spoil
takatāpui - a member of the LGBTQ community, queer, gar
take - beginning, cause, origin
takenga - origin, beginning, source
takere - bottom (of sea, river); hull; keel
taketake - base; ancient; original; lasting
taki - to lead, to bring along
tākina - taken to one side; take to one side! (pass. of tāki)
Takirau - moon on the seventeenth (eighteenth or nineteenth) night of the lunar month
tākiri - draw away quickly; untie; pull out; strike (a match)
takitaki - appear; provoke; revenge; look for; recite
taku - my (singular); edge
tama - son, nephew (term of address for a boy, son: tama)
tamariki - children (plural form of tamaiti)
Tamatea - moon on the eighth night of the lunar month
Tamatea-aio - moon on the seventh night of the lunar month
tana - his/her (neutral category); ton
tānga - circumstance, place of beating; edition, hard copy
tāngata - people (plural of tangata)
tangi - to cry; to make a sound
tangohia - pick up! (command); taken away (tango + passive suffix -hia)
tāniko - ornamental border of cloak or mat
taniwha - monster, traditional guardian of bodies of water
taokete - brother-in-law (of a male), sister-in-law (of a female)
taona - cooked; cook! (pass. of tao)
tapa - to call, name, recite
tāpae - to present; put before one
tapahia - cut! to be cut (tapahi + passive suffix -a)
tapaia - (pass) be named; be recited
tāpatua - covered; cover! (pass. of tāpatu)
tapeke - sum; the score; total
tāpiri - to join something on, to add
tapitapi - to patch, mend, repair, gather together
tapou - dejected; miserable
tāpua - prominent, significant
tāpui - set aside; reserve, to book something
tara - point; spike; peak; wall; sea bird
tarahae - jealousy, envy (n), to quarrel, bicker (v)
tārai - to shape or fashion timber with an adze
tāraia - (pass) be shaped with an adze
tārewa - raised up; provisional; unpaid; unresolved
tari - government department; office
tāria - (pass) be waited for; be expected; after a time
taro - presently, by and by (as in: taro ake)
tārua - after a while; repeat
tata - near; nearly; close
tātai - to arrange, to set in order
tatao - younger brother or sister; deep; to droop
tātari - sieve; sift; analyse; review
tātou - we, us, inclusive, three or more people
tāu - your (singular + one item)
tau - to land, settle; be calm; to attack; lover; handsome; year; age; number
taua - that, previously mentioned (singular)
tauhou - strange, unfamiliar; stranger
tauiwi - foreign race; strange tribe
taukiri - expresses distress, surprise
taumaha - difficult of spirit or health; to be heavy (s), weight (n)
taumata - grade, level of achievement
taumau - betrothal; betroth; betrothed; reserve for oneself
taunga - to be accustomed to, familiar with
taupā - to obstruct, prevent (v); obstacle (n)
taupoki - to cover, close with a lid; lid, cover
tauraki - tumble-drier; drought; to dry in the sun
tauranga - anchorage; fishing ground; resting place
taurangi - changeable; incomplete; wanderer
tāuru - source; top (of tree etc)
tautāwhi - to come to the assistance of, support
taute - look after; prepare; mourn
tautohea - debated, argued (pass of tautohe)
tauwehe - separate; to be separated
tauwhiro - social worker; tend, care for
tāwhaki - Fiordland crested penguin
te - the, singular definite article
teihana - TV channel; railway station
teina - younger sibling, same sex
teitei - tall, high, lofty; height (object)
teka - lying (v); lie (n)
tekoteko - carved figure on top of whare
tēnā - that, by the listener
tēnā koe! - hello! (to one person); thank you
tēnei - this (by speaker); this is; this
tērā - that over there, that
tere - to flow, float, move quickly; fast
tētahi - a, one specific thing
tētehi - a, one specific thing (variant of tētahi)
tewha - working songs or chants
tiaina - to be steered (pass. of tia)
tiaki - to look after, to care for
tiana - driven in; stick in! drive in [pegs]! (pass of tia)
tīhore - bare; to strip off; peel; clear, clear up (weather)
tika - to be right, correct, straight, in order
tikanga - reason, meaning, right way of doing things, custom (tika + nominal suffix -nga)
tīkina - be fetched (tiki + passive suffix -na (note the first i is lengthened)
tiko - to defecate; excrement
tīmatanga - beginning
(tīmata + nominal suffix -nga)
timu - ebb tide; shoulder; end
tinei - turn off, extinguish
tini - to be very many, numerous, plenty; multitude, throng, many
tipu - to grow (v); a plant, shoot
tipua - a person of high status
tīpuna - grandparents (plural form of tipuna)
tipuna - grandparent, ancestor
tira - group or row of people
tiria - planted; plant [root crops]! (pass. of tiri)
tiripou - walking stick (with a handle)
tiritiria - cultivated, tilled; till [the soil]! (pass. of tiritiri)
tirohanga - view, sight, aspect (tiro + nominal suffix -hanga)
tirohia - to be looked at, seen/found (pass of tiro)
tirotiro - to look, gaze upon, investigate
tītaha - to lean to one side (v), to be sideways, slanting (s)
titi - comb; insert; peg; pin; shine
tito - compose story or song; fiction; invent
tiu - north; north wind; soar
tō - your (singular); to drag
tō kōrua - your (singular, addressed to two people)
tō koutou - your (addressed to three or more people)
tō mātou - our (singular, theirs and mine)
tō māua - our (singular, his or hers and mine)
tō rātou - their (singular - three or more people)
tō rāua - their (singular, two people)
tō tātou - our, all of our, belonging to everyone
toa - shop; male animal; expert; to be strong
toe - to remain, be left over
toenga - leftovers, remnants (toe + nominal suffix -nga)
toha - distribute; allocate
tohaina - spread out; spread! scatter! (pass. of toha); shared (pass); share!
tohatoha - to spread around, to disperse
tohe - to be persistent, stubborn (s), to object, argue, protest (v)
tohea - (pass) be argued about
tohi - divide, separate; ceremony for newborn baby
tohu - a qualification, eg degree
tohua - marked (tohu + passive suffix -a)
tohungia - (pass) be marked; be preserved; be pointed out
tohutohu - to instruct; to guide, direct; instructions, directions
tohutohua - instructed; instruct! (pass. of tohutohu)
toitū - entire; permanent; undisturbed
toki - adze, axe; champion
tokotoko - walking stick (without a handle)
tono - to apply for, to order (v):
an application (n)
tonoa - sent (tono + passive suffix -a)
topea - (pass) be cut down; be cut off
tōpū - couple, pair; assembled
torohū - secret; secretly; stealthily
toti - limp (walk with difficulty)
tōtika - straight, direct, right
tōu - your, ō category possession, singular
tū - stand; to be wounded; a wound
tuāhine - female cousins or sisters of a male
tūāhua - adjectives and statives
tuākana - older brothers of a male; older sisters of a female
tūārangi - from far away; ancient; important
tuatua - chop up finely; main range; shellfish
tuha - to distribute; to spit, to spit out
tuhaina - spat out (pass); spit it out!
tuhi - to write; to indicate, point out
tuhia - written; write! (tuhi + passive suffix -a)
tuhinga - writing, text
(tuhi + nominal suffix -nga)
tuhituhinga - writing, text (tuhituhi + nominal suffix -nga)
tui - pierce; sew; thread; lace
tuia - (pass) be pierced; be sewn
tuitui - fasten up; sew, to stitch
tukanga - process, method, procedure
tuki - to hit, to knock, to beat, to pound; crash
tukia - be hit; be pounded; be attacked, be crashed into; be bumped (pass of tuki)
tuku - to put off, to leave aside
tukua - let go! to be released (tuku + passive suffix -a)
tukuna - submitted, submit! released, release! (tuku + passive suffix -na)
tukuoro - speaker (eg bluetooth speaker)
tūmanako - to hope for, anticipate, expect, wish for
tūmau - permanent, continuous; servant
tumeke - to take fright, surprise
tumuaki - crown of the head; director; principal; headteacher
tunua - (pass) be roasted; be baked
tūpato - to be careful; caution, cautious
tūpono - to come upon accidentally, happen by chance
tupu - to grow, develop; a plant, shoot
(variant of tipu)
tupua - demon; foreigner; object of terror; steal
tupuna - ancestor; grandparent
tūpuna - grandparents (plural form of tupuna; variant of tīpuna)
turakina - (pass) be pushed down; be overthrown
tūranga - stand, position, foundation
tūranga - stopping place (as in: tūranga pahi bus stop; tū + nominal suffix -ranga)
turi - deaf; knee; disobedient
tūria - be established (pass. of tū)
tūroro - sick person, a patient
tūru - chair, seat, stool
tūtaki - to meet; to close up, to block (v); meeting (n)
tūtara - gossip; slander; near
tūtūā - person of low birth
tutuki - to be finished, completed, achieved
tūturu - fixed, permanent, definite; to be true, real, original
tuwha - distribute; spit, spit out
tuwhaina - spat out; spit out! (pass. of tuwha)
tūwhitia - turned over, rolled over (pass of tūwhiti)
tūwiri - be afraid; terror; tremble; drill
ū - breast, udder (n); to be devoted (v)
uaua - difficult (adj); muscle, vein, artery (n)
uhia - to be covered (uhi + passive suffix -a)
uia - (pass) be asked; be questioned
uira - lightning; to flash
uku - to wash; soap; clay
ūkuia - wiped (pass. of ūkui)
umere - to shout (in wonder, in appreciation)
unuhia - (pass) be taken off; be drunk
upoko - head; verse of a song; paragraph; chapter
uri - descendant, offspring
uru - join; enter; participate, go in; west
urua - (pass) be joined; be entered; be participated in
urupā - burial ground, cemetery
uta - to load; shore; inland; the land; to load
utanga - burden; freight; cargo
utu - cost, price; to pay for
utua - be revenged; be paid (pass of utu)
uwhi - to cover; covering; spread out; yam
uwhia - (pass) be covered; be spread out
wae - foot; leg; separate
waenga - middle, dividing line
waero - hair of dog's tail; tail
waha - load, burden; to carry on the back; mouth
wahaina - carried on the back (pass. of waha)
wahapū - entrance to harbour; eloquent; mouth of river
wāheke - future tense [eg 'ka']
wāhi - part, portion; place
wāhine - women, wives (plural form of wahine)
waho - out, outside, the outside
waia - to become familiar with something
waiata - to sing (v); song (n)
waiho - to let by, leave alone, ignore
waiho - to remain, rest; to leave behind
waihotia - leave! left alone (pass. of waiho)
waimarie - lucky, fortunate; luck, good fortune
waka - vehicle (land, air and sea)
wānanga - study, analyze; seminar, a place of learning
warea - to be occupied with
wātea - to be clear, unoccupied, available, free of obstruction
wātū - present tense [eg 'kei te' and 'e... ana']
wawata - to long for, yearn for; dream
wawe - early, soon, quickly
wehe - to depart, leave; to separate, divide
wehenga - part, division, separation
(wehe + nominal suffix -nga)
wehi - terrible (adj); to be afraid (v)
wera - to burn; burnt; hot, heat
wero - to challenge; formal challenge at a welcome ceremony
whai - to follow, to chase; to have, to acquire
whāia - chased (pass of whai - note lengthening of first vowel)
whaihua - to have value (v), to be beneficial (s)
whāinga - objective, aim, purpose (whai + nominal suffix -nga ,note first vowel lengthens)
whāiti - narrow, crowded together
whakaā - to rest, catch one's breath
whakaanga - turn towards, to cause to face in a particular direction
whakaatu - to display, show, demonstrate
whakaaturanga - television programme (whakaatu + nominal suffix -ranga)
whakaaturia - shown, revealed, pointed out, demonstrated (pass of whakaatu)
whakahaere - to run something, manage, make something go
whakahāwea - to belittle, despise, show contempt for
whakahēngia - to disagree, contradict, find fault with, condemn, object to, criticise; to cause to go astray, lead astray (pass of whakahē)
whakahokia - returned (whakahoki + passive suffix -a), returned
whakahua - pronounciation (n); pronounce (v)
whakaitihia - to be humbled; to belittle someone (pass)
whakakaha - to strengthen; charge a cellphone
whakamā - to be embarrassed, ashamed
whakamahi - to put someone to work, to make someone work
whakamaua - be fixed; put on (pass of whakamauto)
whakamomori - to commit a desperate act, act in desperation, commit suicide
whakamutunga - ending, conclusion (whakamutu + nominal suffix -nga)
whakapai - to improve, to fix up, bless, cleaning
whakapau - consume, use up, finish, exhaust; spend
whakapūmau - to make permanent, establish, confirm
whakaputa - to make something come out, to appear
whakarae - exposed, prominent; green, raw
whakararu - to bother, disturb (v); a hindrance (n)
whakatā - to rest (v); relaxed (adj)
whakataetae - contend, struggle, compete; contest; competition
whakataki - to conduct, lead, bring along, recite (a speech), go in search of
whakatauria - (pass) to be decided; to be tried; to be visited; to be welcomed
whakatere - buoy up; steer; sail,, navigate, float, accelerate
whakatika - to straighten, to correct, to fix
whakatoi - to give cheek (v), to be cheeky (s); cheeky
whakatūria - erected (whakatū + passive suffix -ria)
whakaū - establish; support; confirm
whakautua - (pass) be replied to; be responded to
whakawā - accuse; condemn; to judge; appraise
whakawhitia - cross over! crossed, changed (pass. of whakawhiti)
whakawiri - be anxious; tremble; twist; wring
whāki - to reveal, to disclose, to confess
whanake - cabbage tree; to spring; grow
whānau - family; to be born, be born
whanaunga - relative, relation (whānau + nominal suffix -nga - note the short first vowel)
whanga - to wait (v); harbour (n)
whāngai - to feed, to foster (v); fostered child (n)
whare wānanga - traditional school of higher learning; university
whata - elevated storage platform; cupboard
whatia - broken (pass. of whati)
whatu - to weave, knit; eye
whatumanawa - seat of feelings, heart (as a figure of speech)
whāwhā - to fiddle with, to touch
whawhaki - to gather; pluck, pick (apples etc)
whawhe - manipulation, meddling with
whea - where? (variant of hea)
whengu - snort; blow (the nose)
whēru - wipe the bottom; toilet paper
wheua - bone (usually of an animal)
whio - blue duck; whistle
whiti - to cross; shine, rise
whitia - (pass) be crossed over; be jumped over; be recited; be shone on
whiu - to be satisfied; to throw; to be filled
whiua - punished (whiu + passive suffix -a)
whiwhi - to be in possession of; acquire, obtain, to get
wiriwiri - to tremble, to shake, to quiver