On-line Te Reo Māori Dictionary

Ko te tino tangata o taua marae, ko Hapi.
The leading person of that marae is Hapi.
Identity sentences - ko...

Ko Tōrere te marae e tū ai te hui.
Tōrere is the marae where the meeting will take place.
Identity sentences - ko...

Ko te kūmara tāku tūmomo huawhenua pai rawa.
Kumara is my favourite type of vegetable.
Identity sentences - ko...

Ko Waiokura te marae.
The marae is Waiokura.
Asking who - Ko wai...?

He aha rātou i peka ai ki taua marae?
Why did they visit that marae?
Why? - He aha... ai?

Kei te tahu ia i te ahi i te marae.
He is lighting the fire at the marae.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

Kei te kai rāua i ngā kūmara.
They are eating the kūmara.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

Kei te whakamārama ia i ngā kōrero pakitara ki ngā tamariki.
She is explaining the stories to the children.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

E haere mai ana te ope rā ki runga i te marae.
That group over there is coming onto the marae.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E mārama ana au ki te kōrero.
I understand what is being said.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E hui ana te kōmihana o te Taura Whiri ia marama mō te rua rā.
The Māori Language Commission meets each month for two days.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E whakamārama ana te kaiako i te mahi ki ngā tamariki.
The teacher is explaining the work to the children.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E tū ake ana ia ki te marae.
He is standing up on the marae.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E hui ana te kōmihana ia marama mō te rua rā.
The Commission meets for two days in each month.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

I pakipaki te katoa me tō rātou kore e tino mārama ki tāua i kī ai.
Everyone applauded though they did not entirely understand what he had said.
Simple sentences: past tense - i

I mahi au i te māra, ā, āe, i pānui pukapuka, ā, i tunu hoki au i te kai mā te whānau.
I worked in the garden, yeah, I read books and I cooked for the family.
Simple sentences: past tense - i

I tapahi a Marama i a ia.
Marama cut herself, or, Marama cut him.
Simple sentences: past tense - i

I whakatō i ētehi kai māori pērā i te kūmara me te kōkihi.
We planted native food like kūmara and native spinach.
Simple sentences: past tense - i

Ka inu te manuhiri i ngā inu i te marae.
The guest will drink the drink at the marae.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka tipu te rito o te harakeke i tēnei marama.
The new shoots of flax will sprout this month.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka ātaahua te māra ā tēnei Whiringa-ā-nuku.
The garden will be beautiful in October.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka hoki tātou ki te marae.
We all will return to the marae.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka ngaki au i te māra.
I will weed the garden.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Kua mārama au ki tōu whakautu.
I've understood your response.
Simple sentences: past completed tense - kua

Kua whakahokia ki a ia te tamaiti i mauria e ngā pirihimana i te marama o Oktopa.
The child who was taken by the police in October has been returned to her.
Simple sentences: past completed tense - kua

Me maranga!
You should get up!
Simple sentences: you should - me

Me tuku tēnei karere ki tēnā marae, ki tēnā marae o te motu.
This message should be sent to every marae in the country.
Simple sentences: you should - me

Me hoki koe ki tōu ake marae ki te ako i te kawa.
You should return to your own marae to learn protocol.
Simple sentences: you should - me

Me mōhio koe ki te kawa o tōu marae.
You should know the protocol of your marae.
Simple sentences: you should - me

E taupoki ana ia i te māra.
She's digging the garden.
Sentences with i - i

E kore au e ngaki i te māra.
I won't weed the garden.
Sentences with i - i

Kei ngā pō mārama, kei ngā pō rākaunui o te marama, e kitea atu ana a Rona.
On clear nights, on nights when the moon is full, Rona can be seen.
Sentences with a subclause - e... ana

Kei te marae a Ripeka e whakapaipai ana.
Ripeka is at the marae cleaning.
-

Kia kotahi kapu maramara kōkōnati.
You need one cup of shredded coconut.
Let there be... - kia...

Katia ngā matapihi, kei mākū tātou i te marangai.
Close the windows, lest we get wet from the rainstorm.
Be careful... lest! - kia... kei...

Maranga mai ai au ia rā, ia rā i te whitu karaka.
I always get up every day at seven o'clock.
Habitual action - ai

Haere ai a Nikau ki te marae ia rā, ia rā.
Nikau always goes to the marae each and every day.
Habitual action - ai

He aha tā koutou mahi i te marae i te Rāhoroi?
What were you guys doing at the marae on Saturday?
What are you doing? - He aha tāu mahi?

He aha te mahi a ngā kuia i te marae?
What is the work of the elderly women at the marae?
What are you doing? - He aha tāu mahi?

Hei aha tō hamarara.
Never mind (taking) your umbrella.
Never mind the... No worries! - Hei aha te..., Kia ahatia@

Nō tērā marama.
Last month.
Belonging to the past - nō

Nō te marama o Paenga-whāwhā i hui ai ngā tāngata whenua o te ao.
In April, indigenous people from round the world gathered.
Belonging to the past - nō

Nō te māra ēnei taewa.
These potatoes come from the garden.
Belonging to a place - nō

Nā Maru te kūmara i whakatipu.
It was Maru grew the kumara.
Past agent emphatic - nā - agent emphatic

Nāu ngā kūmara i waru.
You were the one who peeled the kūmera.
Past agent emphatic - nā - agent emphatic

Maranga!
Get up!
Commands using the passive - Tāpirihia, Tīkina...

Maranga mai!
Get up!
Commands using the passive - Tāpirihia, Tīkina...

Kāore e roa ka tīmata te kiriata 'Maramataka'.
The movie 'Maramataka' will start soon.
It won't be long before... - kāore e roa...; kāori i roa...

Ka keria te māra, kāore i roa ka tipu ngā otaota.
The garden was dug and it wasn't long before the weeds sprouted.
It won't be long before... - kāore e roa...; kāori i roa...

Kei roto ngā kūmara i te umu.
The kumara are in the oven.
In, on, by, under... - kei runga...

Kaua e maranga!
Don't get up!
Negative active commands - Don't! - Kaua e..., kāti...

Mā te kōrerorero ka mārama te take.
By discussion (you) will understand the problem.
Through (one thing/action), (a second thing) will be achieved. - Mā te... ka...; mā... e... ai

He marama pai a Hōngongoi kia kokotia ngā rōhi.
July is a good month to prune the roses.
Passive sentences - tikina...

Kua whakamāramatia te mahi e te kaiako ki ngā tamariki.
The work has been explained to the children by the teacher.
Passive sentences - tikina...

E ai ki te maramataka.
According to the calendar.
According to... - E ai ki.../E ai ki tā... /Ki tā

E ai ki te hea o Te Mana Hauora hoki, he māramatanga kei roto i te reo Māori.
According to Te Mana Hauora chair, there was understanding in Māori language use.
According to... - E ai ki.../E ai ki tā... /Ki tā

E whakatō kūmera ana a Pou rāua ko Hema, e tākaro ana he rōpu tamariki i roto i te māra.
Pou and Hema were planting kūmera, and a group of children were playing in the garden.
Gerund phrases (fence building, bread baking, dishes washing...) - tunu parāoa...

E mōhio ana ahau, e taea e ia te whakamārama i te whakatauki nei.
I know that she will be able to explain this saying.
I am able... - Ka taea e...

Kei te haere au ki Tāmaki-makau-rau hei hui ki te marae.
I'm going to Auckland to meet up at the marae.
For the purpose of - hei

I hīkoi au ki te marae kia kōrero te iwi mō te kaupapa.
I went to the marae so the iwi can discuss the initiative.
So that something can happen for someone else - kia

Kua reri mai te marae, engari kei te tāria tonutia te manuhiri.
The marae is ready, but we are still waiting for the guests.
Conjunctions - but - engari

I haere mātou ki te marae karakia ai.
We went to the marae to pray.
The reason for an action - ...ai.

Me haere tātau ki te marae hui ai.
Let's go to the marae in order to have a meeting.
The reason for an action - ...ai.

Kāore anō te marae kia pōwhiri i ngā manuwhiri.
The marae hasn't welcomed the guests yet.
Negations of kua (I haven't yet...) - Kāore ano... kia...

Kāore anō kia huaina tēnei wāhi ko Waimaramara.
This place had not yet been named Waimaramara.
Negations of kua (I haven't yet...) - Kāore ano... kia...

E mea ana au ki te hauhake i aku kūmara āpōpō. Heoi anō, ki te ua, ka waiho pea mō tērā wiki.
I'm intending to dig up my kūmara tomorrow. However, if it rains, I'll probably leave it ‘til next week.
Conjunctions - on the other hand, however - heoi anō

Tērā pea ka puta he kōrero mō te māra.
Perhaps a discussion about the garden will emerge.
Perhaps - Tērā pea

Kia tae mai rātou ka haere tātou ki te marae.
When they arrive we will go the marae.
When - Kia

Kei te māra a Māmā.
Mum's in the garden.
Locatives (at the moment, something is somewhere) - kei te

Kei te māra tō whutupōro.
Your football's by the garden.
Locatives (at the moment, something is somewhere) - kei te

Ngā whakapāha, kāore au i te mārama ki tō kōrero.
My aplogies, I don't understand what you are saying.
Negations of the present tense (I am not working) - Kāore... i te...

Kāo, kāore au i te tino mārama.
No, I don't quite understand.
Negations of the present tense (I am not working) - Kāore... i te...

Kāore au i te mārama.
I don't understand.
Negations of the present tense (I am not working) - Kāore... i te...

I hea te whare nui me ngā māra?
Where were the meeting house and the gardens?
Locatives - past (something was somewhere) - i te

I te marae, he aha te mahi a ngā koroua?
At the marae, what is the work of the elders?
Locatives - past (something was somewhere) - i te

I te ata pō tonu, ka timata te oreore o te marae.
Even before dawn, the marae began to stir.
Past - specifying a particular time - i te

Ka tū ngā tamāhine i te mataihi katau o te marae.
The daughters stood at the front right of the marae.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Engari i mua i te haere ki te marae, i hoki au ki te kāinga ki te kohikohi i aku taputapu.
But before going to the marae, I returned home to pack my gears.
Using 'ki' to indicate direction towards something - ki

He kaumātua a Amaru rāua ko Niko no tērā marae.
Amaru and Niko are elders of that marae.
Possessives - 'o' class - ō, tōku...

Ko Mere te tuahine o Mārama rāua ko Tamahae.
Mere is Marama's and Tamahae's cousin.
Possessives - 'o' class - ō, tōku...

Koia kei a koe mō te āwhina i tō whaea! I aha kōrua i te māra?
You're awesome for helping your mum. What did you do in the garden?
Family relationships - mother - mama, whaea

Ko te Kohitātea tēnei marama.
This month is January.
This week, this month, this year - i tēnei wiki, i tēnei marama...

I aha koe i tērā marama?
What did you do last month?
Last week, last month, last year - tērā

I tērā marama.
Last month.
Last week, last month, last year - tērā

Ā tērā marama tātou hui ai.
We are meeting next month.
Last week, last month, last year - tērā

Ā tērā marama.
Next month.
Last week, last month, last year - tērā

Ko tēhea rā o te marama tēnei?
Which day of the month is this?
Which - Ko tēhea?

I tērā tau i te marama o Mahuru ka haere mātou ko aku hoa mai i Papaioea ki Pōneke ki te tirotiro haere.
Last year in September me and my friends went from Palmerston North to Wellington to look around.
Talking about more than one person - ...rāua ko..., rātou ko...

Ko te rā, ko te marama hei rama, ā, ko te ahi hei whakamahana i a mātou.
The sun and the moon were our lights, and the fire was all we had to keep us warm.
Conjunctions - and - ā

I pō, i pō, ā, ka mārama.
It was dark for a long time, and then at last it became light.
Conjunctions - and - ā

Hei tā Michale Naera, heamana o Te Mana Hauora, he uaua ki ētahi tūroro Māori te mārama ki ngā rerenga kōrero hauora reo pākeha, ā, ka māmā ake me he Māori te reo.
Te Mana Hauora chair Michael Naera said Māori patients struggled with English medical terms and would find it easier if they were in Māori.
Conjunctions - and - ā

Ka puta mai te Ao Mārama.
The world of light came forth.
Towards - mai

Tae tonu mai te ope ki konei, ka eke ki te marae.
As soon as the party got here, they went to the marae.
Towards - mai

Ka titiro ake a Rona ki te marama.
Rona looked up at the moon.
Up - ake

Ka titiro iho te marama ki a Rona.
The moon looked down at Rona.
Down - iho

Engari kei te marae ētahi e rua.
But there are two already at the marae.
Numbering things - e rua, e toru...

Kātahi anō au ka tae mai ki runga i tēnei marae.
This is my first time on this marae.
Ordindinal numbers (First, second, third...) - tuatahi, tuarua...

A te waru karaka ka haere tātou ki te marae.
We will go the marae at 8 o'clock.
Telling time - kara

Kei reira tō tātou hihuinga a te marama ka heke mai nei.
That's where our meeting will be next month.
Future locatives - kei te

Ngā maho o te marae.
The work of the marae.
Words that can be 'a' or 'o' categories - o, a

Kotahi rau ngā marae o tēnei rohe.
There are one hundred marae in this area.
Counting over ten -

Ko ngā mahi pai ki a ia, ko te mahi māra, me te ruku kai moana hoki.
She likes gardening and diving.
I like... - He pai ki a au...

He ika me te maramara rīwai te kai pai ki a ia.
He likes fish and chips.
I like... - He pai ki a au...

Homai koa ētaho o ngā maramara rīwai.
Please give me some of the potato chips.
Some - tētahi, ētahi

Kātahi anō te whānau nei ka maranga.
The family has just woken up.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

I mātua hui te iwi ki te marae, kātahi ka haere ki te urupā.
First the tribe met at the marae, and then set off to the cemetry.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Ko Te Kūhā te marae e wānanga ai tātau.
Te Kūhā is the (specific) marae where we hold a learning session.
Specifically - ai

Ka karangatia ana mātou, ka eke ki runga i te marae.
When we were called, we then proceeded onto the marae.
When, whenever - ka... ana, ka...

He marae ātaahua a Tūrangawaewae.
Tūrangawaewae is a beautiful marae.

Haere mai ki tēnei marae tino ātaahua.
Welcome to this beautiful place.

Kāore mārama ahau.
I don't understand.

Tē mārama ahau.
I don't understand.

Ka hui tātou ki te marae.
We will meet at the marae.

Kua maranga mai a Niko.
Niko has got up.

Tangata takahi manuhiri, he maraer puehu.
If you mistreat your guests your marae will be dusty (because no one will come anymore).

He wahine marae.
A woman with the knowledge of a marae who is active in her community.

Ehara nāku i whakapai te māra.
I did not fix the garden.

He tangata marae a Moana.
Moana is a generous/hospitable person.

I maranga au.
I got up.

He tino mōhio ia ki te mahi māra.
She's very knowledgeable when it comes to gardening/growing veges.

ki te ao mārama.
in the world of light and understanding.

Kei te mārama koe?
Do you understand?

E toro mai ana ngā tūī ki te māra.
The tūī are visiting the garden.

Kua hangaia te marae e ngā tohunga.
The marae has been built by the experts.

Kua hanga ngā tohunga i te marae.
The experts have built the marae.

Kei te mahi au i taku taumahi, kei te whapai i tōku whare, ā, kei te haere hoki ki tōku marae.
I'm working on my assignment, I'm cleaning my house and I am going to my marae.

Ko tāu mahi, he hono i te rerenga ki tana whakamārama tika (tuhinga reo Ingarihi).
Your task is to connect the sentence to its correct translation (English language text).

He ringa rehe a Moana ki te mahi māra, ki te purei rakuraku hiko, ka mutu, he rōreka ki te waiata.
Moana is a dab hand at gardening, playing electric guitar, and she loves to sing.

Āe, kei te mārama au.
Yes, I understand.

He tangata māhaki, he tangata marae hoki.
He is a humble person, and a person of the marae.

Kua mārama koe ki te pātai?
Have you understood the question?

A ēhea mārama koe ka haere ki Tonga?
Which months will you be in Tonga for?

Kei te mārama au.
I understand.

Āpōpō ka haere tātou ki te marae.
Tomorrow we will go to the marae.

Āwhea a Hera ngaki māra ai?
When will Hera dig the garden?

I mahi māra au.
I did gardening.

Kua pōwhiri te marae i ngā manuwhiri.
The marae has welcomed the guests.

I whakatipu a Maru i te kūmara.
Maru grew the kūmara.

He kai pai te kūmara.
Kumara is good food

Kei hea tō marae?
Where's your marae?

Ika me te maramara rīwai.
Fish and chips.

Kei te marae o Te Herenga Waka ia.
She is at Te Herenga Waka marae.

Nō te marae o Te Herenga Waka tēnei.
This belongs to Te Herenga Waka marae.

He wāhi ātaahua a Waimarama.
Waimarama is a beautiful place.

Kei muri te koroua i te marae.
The elderly man is behind the marae.

I tērā atu marama.
The month before last.

Kāore āku mahi nui, i whakatā, i whakapai whare, i āwhina i tōku whaea i tōna māra.
I didn't do much, I relaxed, cleaned the house, helped my mother in the garden.

E hia ngā marae o te rohe nei?
How many marae are there in this region?

E ono tekau tau tōna pakeke, ka ū ia ki ngā tikanga Māori i a ia i te māra.
She is 60 years old. She is resolute in Māori customs in the garden.

E rua marama ki muri.
Two months ago.

Ko te tikanga nui ka karakia ia i mua i āna mahi i te māra.
The main one is that she does karakia before working in the garden.

E hia ngā rīwai i te māra?
How many potatoes are in the garden?

E whitu marama tōna pakeke.
Seven months is her age.

Ka rūpeke noa rātou ki waenga o te marae e nohoia rā e te manuhiri.
They all gathered together in the middle of the marae where the visitors were sitting.

Kei te kai a Manu i ngā kūmara.
Manu is eating the kūmera.

He whare mātoro i tētahi pito, ki te pito ki te marangai o taua marae.
There was an entertainment house in one corner, the corner to the east of that marae.

He hua whenua te kūmara.
The kūmera is a root vegetable.

Ā tērā atu marama.
The month after next.

Āe, āe, kei te mārama au! Tēnā. Me haere tāua.
Yeah, yeah, I know! Right, we'd better get going.

Tēnā koe i tō whakamārama mai.
Thanks for your explanation.

Ko te marama o Mahuru.
The month of September.

Kei te haere ia ki te marae ki te tunu i ngā kai mō te hui.
He is going to the marae to cook food for the meeting.

Kia kite ai rātou i te marae ātaahua nei.
So they could see the beautiful marae.

Āe, kei te mārama ahau.
Yes, I understand.

Kia ora, kua mārama ināianei.
Thanks, I get it now.

Ka tū te hui ki tēhea marae?
Which marae is the hui at?

Ka haere ahau ki te marae.
I will be going to the marae.

He hopunga kōrero reo Māori anō ka tāpirihia atu ki ngā mīhini hei ngā marama tata ake nei.
More audio in te reo Māori will be added to the system in the next few months.

māra kai
food garden

Ko te reo te taikura o te whakaaro mārama.
Language is the key to understanding.

Hei tino tauira hei tāna, "i roto i te Kowheori i ngā marama e ono, e hia kē nei ngā kupu mō te mate Kowheori i te tīmatanga rā."
A prime example "is when Covid-19 first hit, in the first six months there were so many different Māori names used for the word Covid".

Ehara nō tāua te marae nei.
This marae is not ours.