Māori Word Lists
Level 3
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)
akoranga - thing that is taught or learnt; lesson
aku - my, mine (plural form of taku, neutral for possession category)
anake - only, just, alone
anō - again, also (Various meanings, eg again; also, too; self [reflexive] as in: ki a ia anō)
arā - over there, away from us both; that is, namely
ārai - curtain; to screen off, block
arero - tongue; point of taiaha
aro - to face, turn towards, take notice of, pay attention to
aroha - love, sympathy, compassion
āta - gently, carefully, deliberately
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)
autāne - brother-in-law (of a woman)
awhitia - to be embraced (pass - awhi + tia)
ehara - exclamation: sure enough, without a doubt; not
eke - to embark, get onto; riding
ēnā - those, near you (plural of tēnā)
ēnei - these, near me (plural of tēnei)
haka - to perform traditional dance; haka, a traditional dance, war dance
Hana - Santa Claus, Father Christmas
hanga - to build, erect, make (v); construction, practice (n)
hangaia - built (hanga + passive suffix -ia)
hāngi - traditional earth oven
hao - to catch in a net, a net
hapa - mistake; supper, dinner
hapū - subtribe; to be pregnant
hari - to feel happy; to take or carry
haria - to be carried (hari + passive suffix -a)
haruru - to resound; a heavy sound
hautō - drawer; chest of drawers
hāwhe - half (n); to halve (v)
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)
hemo - to pass by, be gone; died, die
here - to tie, to bind (v0: dog lead (n)
hī - to catch fish with a line
hīkoi - to walk, step, tread
hinga - to fall from an upright position; to fall (and not be able to get up again)
hīrere - to rush; waterfall; shower
hoa - friend; partner; spouse
hoatu - to give (away from speaker)
hoe - to paddle, row (v); oar (n)
hōhā - annoyed, bored (adj), a nuisance (n)
hōhonu - deep (adj); depth (n)
hoki - to go back, return; also, indeed
hoko - to buy, sell, purchase
hokona - sold (hoko + passive suffix -na)
homai - give (to the speaker)
horoi - to wash, to clean
hou - new, modern; feather
hurihuri - to turn round and round, over and over
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.
ihi - power, essential force
inu - to drink (v); drink (n)
ipu - container, bowl; drinking glasses
iri - to be hanging; rest upon
ita - held firm; be committed
ka - will happen | Verbal particle with a range of meanings; not directly translated with an English word
kāhore - Negative used for verb sentences
kahurangi - dark blue; woman of high status or rank
kaihautū - leader; bus driver, pilot, truck driver
kaikōrero - speaker, orator (kai- + kōrero)
kaimahi - worker, employee (kai- + mahi)
kaitākaro - player, sportsperson
(kai- + tākaro)
kaka - hair; fibre; ridge; dress
kakama - quick; active; smart, clever
kamokamo - twinkle; marrow, squash (the vegetable)
kāngia - (pass) be lit, be burnt
kāore - negative used for verb sentences
kapa - group, row of people, as in: kapa haka
kape - photocopy, copy; crescent (shape)
kāti - stop! (as in: kāti te tangi)
kauaka - Negative word, do not (variant of kaua; eg:
Kauaka e tangi)
kaupapa - topic, theme, plan, subject
kāuta - cooking shed, cookhouse
kawenga - load, luggage, burden
(kawe + nominal suffix -nga)
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
kia - may you be; may we be; let it be that; | Various uses, meanings. Often not translatable by an English word.
kia ora - hello; thank you; be well
kimihia - sought; look for! (kimi + passive suffix -hia)
kitea - seen (kite + passive suffix -a)
kiwi - native bird of Aotearoa
kohete - scold, reprimand, rebuke
kohi - to collect, gather together
konā - there, by listener
kōrerotia - spoken (kōrero + passive suffix -tia)
koro - term of address for an elderly man, grandfather (E koro)
koroua - elderly man, grandfather
kotiti - be displaced; move aside
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)
kui - Term of address for an elderly woman (eg 'E kui'.)
kuia - elderly woman, grandmother
kūmara - kūmara, sweet potato
kura - school; treasured item
mahia - worked (mahi + passive suffix -a)
mahue - to be left behind (trans)
mai - towards the speaker in space or in orientation; to here
māia - capable, brave, bold
maika - banana (also panana)
makawe - hair of the head (human, used in plural: ngā makawe)
māmā - mother (n); easy, simple (adj)
māna - for him, her, by him, her
manaaki - to look after, to show hospitality towards
Māori - indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand
marae - traditional Māori gathering place
mārika - indeed, quite, certainly; āe mārika
mārō - hard (of texture, personality), firm
mātakitaki - to watch, to observe, examine, inspect
mātau - to know, understand
matawā - clock; live broadcast
mate - to be sick, ill, dead
māti - match (to light a fire)
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)
mauria - to be carried (mau + passive suffix -ria)
me - and, should, with (various meanings, uses, eg with, like, should)
mea - a thing (n); to say (v)
mehemea - if (presuming not; cf. ki te, if, expressing simple uncertainty)
mīharo - to wonder at; amazing
mihi - to greet; thank; acknowledge
mō - for, unrealised, ō category possession, about
moeroa - sleepyhead; to sleep in
mōhiotia - known (mōhio + passive suffix -tia)
motu - island (n); cut (v), cut off (adj)
moumou - waste (n): to be wasteful (v)
muku - wipe, rub; rubber (stationery)
mutu - be ended, finished (but not necessarily completed)
nā - Various meanings, eg by, belonging to (ā category), by way of
nāku - mine, realised possession,
it was done by me (ā category)
nāna - by him, her, belonging to him, her
nē - tag question, translated variously depending on the English structure; eh?
ngākau - heart, as in seat of the affections and feelings
ngaki - avenge; to plant; to weed
ngaro - to be lost, missing, gone, hidden (trans)
ngata - snail (n); to be satisfied (v)
ngāwari - kind, pleasant of personality; easy
noa - free from tapu; only, just, merely
nohoia - (pass) be sat upon, be inhabited
nōku - mine, realised possession, ō category
nuinga - majority (nui + nominal suffix -nga)
nunui - big (plural form)
ō - your, one person, neutral category possession, plural
ohorere - to start suddenly, be startled; surprised
oka - chef's knife, dagger; prick; stab; yam
ōku - mine, plural, ō category possession
ōna - his, her, plural, ō category possession
ora - alive, well, healthy, safe
oranga - health, life
(ora + nominal suffix -nga)
otirā - but, on the other hand
pā - a fortified settlement (n); to touch (v)
pahū - drum (n); blow up, explode (v)
pai - good (adj); to like (v); good
painga - benefit, skill, good qualities
(pai + nominal suffix -nga)
pakaru - broken (applied to a thing not a body part) (trans)
Pākehā - New Zealander of European descent
pakeke - hard, stiff (adj); to grow up (v); age, adult, elder (n)
paki - to slap, to pat; to be fine; a fine day
pakipaki - to applaud, to clap; applause
pana - to push away, to expel
pani - orphan (n); to be orphaned (v): to smear, spread out (v)
pānui - to read; to publish, advertise; notice, advertisement
pānuitia - read; advertised (pass of pānui)
paoka - fork; pierce; stab
pare - to ward off, to divert
pātai - question; to ask a question
pātaia - (pass) be asked; be questioned
patu - to strike, hit; to kill
patua - hit/killed (patu + passive suffix -a)
pau - to be consumed, used up completely, all gone (trans)
peke - to jump, to leap over
pepeha - proclamation of origin
pito - belly button, end, extremity
poi - poi, small, soft ball on string
pūhia - (pass) be blown; be shot
pūkenga - skills, skill, expertise, lecturer
pūrere - appliance, machine (electric) (n); to escape (v)
puta - to appear, to come out
putu - to heap up; a heap, pile
rā - day; the sun; over there
rahi - large, numerous, great, big
rango - fly, blowfly (n); to hear (v)
rangona - to be heard (passive form of rongo)
rapa - to look for (v); rubber (n)
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)
rātou - they, them, three or more people
rātou ko - and also (joining 3 or more names eg. Bob, Jim and Fred)
rāua ko - and joining 2 names eg. Jim and Fred
raupatu - conquest; confiscate; take by force
rawa - Various meanings, eg too, quite, very; really
reira - there (previously mentioned)
rerenga - sentence; flight, journey, voyage
riro - gone away; to be awarded: acquired, obtained
rite - to be ready, like, similar
rohe - district, area, boundary, territory
rongo - to hear, perceive, feel
roto - in, inside, within; lake
rutu - bump, throw down, tackle
tae - to reach, arrive (v); colour (n)
taea - to be able, to be achieved (tae + passive suffix -a)
tāhuhu - subject of a sentence
taka - to come around in a cycle; to fall from a height
takahi - trample; tread; stamp; disobey, violate
taku - my (singular); edge
tama - son, nephew (term of address for a boy, son: tama)
tamariki - children (plural form of tamaiti)
tana - his/her (neutral category); ton
tāngata - people (plural of tangata)
tangi - to cry; to make a sound
tangohia - pick up! (command); taken away (tango + passive suffix -hia)
taniwha - monster, traditional guardian of bodies of water
taokete - brother-in-law (of a male), sister-in-law (of a female)
tapahia - cut! to be cut (tapahi + passive suffix -a)
tapu - sacred, holy, under ritual restriction
tara - point; spike; peak; wall; sea bird
tari - government department; office
taru - grass; vegetation; thing
tātai - to arrange, to set in order
tātou - we, us, inclusive, three or more people
tau - to land, settle; be calm; to attack; lover; handsome; year; age; number
taua - that, previously mentioned (singular)
tauhou - strange, unfamiliar; stranger
taumaha - difficult of spirit or health; to be heavy (s), weight (n)
taumata - grade, level of achievement
te - the, singular definite article
teina - younger sibling, same sex
teitei - tall, high, lofty; height (object)
teka - lying (v); lie (n)
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
tiaki - to look after, to care for
tika - to be right, correct, straight, in order
tīkina - be fetched (tiki + passive suffix -na (note the first i is lengthened)
tīmatanga - beginning
(tīmata + nominal suffix -nga)
tinei - turn off, extinguish
tīpuna - grandparents (plural form of tipuna)
tipuna - grandparent, ancestor
tō - your (singular); to drag
toa - shop; male animal; expert; to be strong
toe - to remain, be left over
tokotoko - walking stick (without a handle)
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
tuākana - older brothers of a male; older sisters of a female
tuhi - to write; to indicate, point out
tuhia - written; write! (tuhi + passive suffix -a)
tuhinga - writing, text
(tuhi + nominal suffix -nga)
tuki - to hit, to knock, to beat, to pound; crash
tuku - to put off, to leave aside
tukua - let go! to be released (tuku + passive suffix -a)
tukuoro - speaker (eg bluetooth speaker)
tūmanako - to hope for, anticipate, expect, wish for
tūpato - to be careful; caution, cautious
tupu - to grow, develop; a plant, shoot
(variant of tipu)
tupuna - ancestor; grandparent
tūpuna - grandparents (plural form of tupuna; variant of tīpuna)
tūranga - stopping place (as in: tūranga pahi bus stop; tū + nominal suffix -ranga)
turi - deaf; knee; disobedient
tūria - be established (pass. of tū)
tūru - chair, seat, stool
tūtaki - to meet; to close up, to block (v); meeting (n)
tūturu - fixed, permanent, definite; to be true, real, original
ū - breast, udder (n); to be devoted (v)
uaua - difficult (adj); muscle, vein, artery (n)
uira - lightning; to flash
uku - to wash; soap; clay
umere - to shout (in wonder, in appreciation)
upoko - head; verse of a song; paragraph; chapter
uri - descendant, offspring
uta - to load; shore; inland; the land; to load
utu - cost, price; to pay for
wae - foot; leg; separate
waha - load, burden; to carry on the back; mouth
wāhi - part, portion; place
wāhine - women, wives (plural form of wahine)
waho - out, outside, the outside
waiata - to sing (v); song (n)
waiho - to remain, rest; to leave behind
waka - vehicle (land, air and sea)
waru - eight; to scrape, to peel
wātea - to be clear, unoccupied, available, free of obstruction
wehi - terrible (adj); to be afraid (v)
wera - to burn; burnt; hot, heat
whai - to follow, to chase; to have, to acquire
whakahaere - to run something, manage, make something go
whakamā - to be embarrassed, ashamed
whakapai - to improve, to fix up, bless, cleaning
whakatika - to straighten, to correct, to fix
whakautua - (pass) be replied to; be responded to
whānau - family; to be born, be born
whanaunga - relative, relation (whānau + nominal suffix -nga - note the short first vowel)
whāngai - to feed, to foster (v); fostered child (n)
whati - broken, snapped; break, snap; run away; turn
whatu - to weave, knit; eye
whiti - to cross; shine, rise
whiu - to be satisfied; to throw; to be filled
whiwhi - to be in possession of; acquire, obtain, to get