Te Reo Māori — The Māori Language

Pronunciation Guide

Māori has five vowels, each with a long and short form:

Consonants: h, k, m, n, p, r, t, w, wh, ng. 'Wh' is pronounced like an English 'f'. 'Ng' is pronounced as in 'singer', not 'finger'.

Everyday Words & Phrases

• Kia ora: Hello / Thank you / Cheers
• Tēnā koe: Hello (to one person)
• Tēnā koutou: Hello (to three or more people)
• Kei te pēhea koe?: How are you?
• Kei te pai: I'm good / It's fine
• Aroha: Love, compassion
• Whānau: Family (extended)
• Kai: Food
• Puku: Stomach / belly
• Mōrena: Good morning
• Ka kite anō: See you again
• Haere ra: Goodbye (to someone leaving)
• E noho ra: Goodbye (to someone staying)

Where to Learn Te Reo Māori

• Kōhanga Reo: Māori language immersion early childhood centres
• Kura Kaupapa Māori: Māori immersion primary and secondary schools
• Wānanga: tertiary institutions such as Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Wānanga o Raukawa
• Online resources: Māori Dictionary (maoridictionary.co.nz), Kupu app for image recognition
• Community classes: local night classes and marae-based language programmes

Te Reo in Numbers (2023 Census)

The 2023 Census counted 213,849 te reo Māori speakers — 4.3% of the population — up 15% from 185,955 in 2018. The highest concentrations are in Gisborne (16.9% of residents speak te reo) and Northland (10.1%). Younger New Zealanders are the fastest-growing group of speakers, thanks to Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori immersion education.

Te reo became an official language in 1987, and the Māori Language Act 2016 established Te Mātāwai to lead language revitalisation. The Government's long-term goal is for 1 million New Zealanders to speak basic te reo by 2040 — a target that shapes funding for courses and resources.

The census also counts 60,000+ people learning te reo in education, and the language appears everywhere from place names and airport greetings to government branding — learning it is both a cultural and a practical asset.

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2026

Māori Language Week (Te Wiki o te Reo Māori) runs 14–20 September 2026, with daily themes encouraging speakers to use te reo at home, at work, in sport and in the community. Organisations across the country take part — expect bilingual signage, waiata, and workplaces learning a new phrase each day.

You do not need to wait for the week: the Kupu app identifies everyday objects in te reo via your camera, the Māori Dictionary (maoridictionary.co.nz) is free, and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa offers subsidised online courses for adults at all levels.

One of the most encouraging trends is growth among under-15s: the 2023 Census recorded 49,617 child speakers (5.3% of that age group), the highest rate of any age band. Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori are producing a generation of confident, fluent speakers — the strongest signal yet that the language's decline has been reversed.

Learning Paths for Adults

• Te Wānanga o Aotearoa: free or low-cost te reo courses from beginners to advanced, online and in person.
• Community classes: night classes and marae-based programmes run in most cities and towns.
• Apps: Duolingo added te reo Māori in 2024, joining Kupu and Drops for vocabulary practice.
• Workplace programmes: many employers fund team te reo sessions — ask your HR team.
• Immersion: kura, Kōhanga Reo and wānanga offer full-immersion options for serious learners.
• Practice: use karakia and mihi templates, listen to Māori radio (Radio Waatea, Te Hiku Media), and watch Māori Television with subtitles.

Everyday Phrases Worth Knowing

• Kia ora — hello / thank you / cheers (the all-purpose greeting).
• Tēnā koe / Tēnā koutou — formal hello to one person / to three or more.
• Mā te wā — see you later.
• Ka kite anō — see you again.
• Haere mai — welcome / come here.
• Aroha nui — with much love (common in sign-offs).