On-line Te Reo Māori Dictionary

Ko wai te mea pai ki te kōrero Māori?
Whose good at speaking Māori?
Asking who - Ko wai...?

Ko wai te mea e mōhio ana ki te reo Māori?
Who is the one who knows te reo Māori?
Asking who - Ko wai...?

Ko wai ngā mea a ako ana i te reo Māori?
Who are the ones learning te reo Māori?
Asking who - Ko wai...?

Ko wai rā kei te tapahi i te mīti?
Who is chopping the meat?
Asking who - Ko wai...?

Ehara tērā i te mea tawhito.
That is not the old one.
Negations of identity sentences - ehara...

Ehara ērā i ngā mea tawhito.
Those are not the old ones.
Negations of identity sentences - ehara...

Ehara i te miti kau te hapa pai ki a au.
It's not meat that I like for dinner.
Negations of identity sentences - ehara...

Ehara i te mīti kau (te hapa pai ki a au).
It's not meat (the dinner that I like).
Negations of identity sentences - ehara...

Kei te titiro taua ngeru ki tāna kai.
That cat is looking at his meal.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

E mea ana koe ko Ponga hei ariki mōu?
Are you saying that Pongo is to be your lord?
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E mohio ana au ki ana kupu.
I know what her words mean.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E mōhio ana au ki ana kupu.
I am knowing what her words mean.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

I te whakawhitinga o te katipō i te matapihi, mea oma.
The spider ran across the window.
Simple sentences: past tense - i te

Ka horoi koe i ngā rīhi i muri i te kai.
You will wash the dishes after the meal.
Simple sentences: past tense - i te

Kua tika katoa kai me ngā mīti atu.
All the food, including the meat, should be ready now.
Simple sentences: past completed tense - kua

Kua kite koe i taku pene? He mā whero te mea na.
Have you seen my pen? It's a pink one.
Simple sentences: past completed tense - kua

Ko Aroha te mea e mōhio ana ki te reo Māori.
Aroha is the one who knows te reo Māori.
Sentences with a subclause - e... ana

Ko te hapu e noho ana i Maungawhau e mea ana nā rātou taua moana.
The sub-tribe living at Maungawhau said that that sea was theirs.
Sentences with a subclause - e... ana

Kia ahatia, ehara te toa i te mea nui.
Never mind, winning isn't everything.
Never mind the... No worries! - Hei aha te..., Kia ahatia@

Nō te ata ka kōrero ki a Toto i ngā mea katoa.
In the morning [he] told Toto everything.
Belonging to the past - nō

Nō te ata, ka kōrero ki a Amaru i ngā mea katoa.
In the morning [he] told Amaru everything.
Belonging to the past - nō

Nā ngā tamariki i whakangaro ngā mea tākaro.
It was the children who lost the toys.
Past agent emphatic - nā - agent emphatic

Nā te tama i tiki ngā mea tākaro.
It was the boy who fetched the toys.
Past agent emphatic - nā - agent emphatic

Ko te whakaaro na te mea tika.
That idea is the right one.
Conjuctions - because - nā te mea

Nā te mea...
Because...
Conjuctions - because - nā te mea

Nā te mea, he wera rawa!
Because it's too hot!
Conjuctions - because - nā te mea

Mā te mīhini e mahi ngā mea katoa.
The machine will do everything.
Future agent emphatic - māku

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!
Commands using the passive - Tāpirihia, Tīkina...

Whakahokia ngā rīhi ki te kāpata i muri i te kai.
Return the dishes to the cupboard after the meal.
Commands using the passive - Tāpirihia, Tīkina...

Whakatikahia te tēpu mō te kai.
Set the table for the meal.
Commands using the passive - Tāpirihia, Tīkina...

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.
Commands using the passive - Tāpirihia, Tīkina...

He rahi rawa tēnei wiri, hōmai he mea iti iho.
This drill is too big, pass me a smaller one.
Commands without e or the passive - Homai! Whakarongo!

Waiho mā mātou, te hunga taiohi, ngā mea e kawe.
Leave it to us, the youth, to carry the things.
Commands without e or the passive - Homai! Whakarongo!

Waiho te mea nā.
Leave that thing alone.
Commands without e or the passive - Homai! Whakarongo!

Kaua e homai te mea nā.
Don't pass me that thing.
Negative active commands - Don't! - Kaua e..., kāti...

Ka mea atu ia ki a Mea kia meatia ngā mea katoa ki mea wāhi.
She told so-and-so to put all the things in such-and-such a place.
Passive sentences - tikina...

Mehemea ki te kore e matu tō makamaka i te pāore, ka tangohia e au.
If you don't stop playing with the ball, I'll take it away.
Passive sentences - tikina...

Ki te kitea noatia e tētahi tangata mea...
If someone just sees something...
Passive sentences - tikina...

Ka pīrangitia e ia ngā mea katoa.
All the things are wanted by him.
Passive sentences - tikina...

Ki tā te kuia rā, he mea hanga taua whare ki te mauku.
According to that kuia, that house was built out of mauku (a type of fern).
According to... - E ai ki.../E ai ki tā... /Ki tā

E ruku pāua ana au nā te mea e haere mai ana tōku hungarei.
I'm going pāua diving because my mother-in-law is coming.
Gerund phrases (fence building, bread baking, dishes washing...) - tunu parāoa...

Me kōpaki e tātou ā tātou mea katoa, ka hoki ai ki te kāinga.
We should wrap our things up and then head home.
And then... - ...ka/kātahi... ai...

Ka roa a Pōrori e tāria ana, me te hōhā haere o ngā mea e tatari ana ki a ia.
Pōrori was waited for a long time, and those waiting for him got fed up.
Be waited for - tāria

Kia kamakama e hoa, ko tāu kupu anake te mea e tāria nei.
Can you hurry things up a bit - your opinion is the only one still being waited on.
Be waited for - tāria

Hei kai kē te mīti nā, kāore hei mōunu.
That meat is for food, not for bait.
For the purpose of - hei

Ehara māku e taki te karakia, nā te mea he iti taku kete pāpaku taku kete karakia.
I will not be the one to recite the prayer because my kete is shallow.
Conjunctions - but - engari

I te mea...
Because...
Conjunctions - but - engari

He pai ki ahau te mahita, nā te mea, he humarie ia.
I like the teacher, because he's handsome.
Conjunctions - but - engari

Kāore e pai ki ahau te mahita, na te mea, he haunga ia.
I don't like the teacher because he smells.
Conjunctions - but - engari

Kei te hōhā ahau i te mea he uaua tēnei mahi.
I am bored because this work is too hard.
Conjunctions - but - engari

Kei te oherere ahau i te mea he māmā rawa tēnei mahi.
I am surprised because this work is too easy.
Conjunctions - but - engari

I te āhua whakamā au. Kāore au i hari kai atu, i te mea kāore au i tino mōhio ka roa te hui. Ka mutu, ko āku tamariki ngā mea tino kaha ki te kai.
I was a bit embarrassed. I didn't take a plate, because I didn't know it was going to be a long hui. And worse still, it was my kids who polished off most of the food.
...and also, moreover - ...ka mutu

I puta he hua ki te iwi Māori i ērā kaupapa? Kāore kau.
Did Māori benefit from those measures? Not at all.
there wasn't any... absolutely no... - Kāore kau...

Heoi anō, te mea pai o te koni ahi, ehara ko te mahana anake te hua ki te tangata. Ko te mea tino pai, ko te pārekareka o ngā kōrero.
Still / However, the good thing about sitting round the fire was that it didn't just keep us warm. The really good thing was the enjoyable conversation.
Conjunctions - on the other hand, however - heoi anō

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

Mehemea ko au, e kore au e whakaae. Heoi anō, ko koe kē te rangatira, ehara i a au.
If it were me, I wouldn't agree to it. Still / However, you're the boss, not me.
Conjunctions - on the other hand, however - heoi anō

Ka mura te ahi i te rarauhe, mea ake ka toro ki te ngahere.
The fire blazed up in amongst the bracken. In no time at all it had spread to the forest.
All of a sudden - Mea ake

Ka utaina te whakaahua ki a Pukamata, mea ake kua kitea e te mātinitini.
The photo was posted on Facebook, and suddenly all and sundry had seen it.
All of a sudden - Mea ake

E ai ki ngā rongo kua taumaha a ia, mea ake ka hemo.
They say he's very ill, and it won't be long at all before he dies.
All of a sudden - Mea ake

Kāore au i kite i te wai i te papa. Haere atu ana au, mea ake kei raro e putu ana.
I didn't see the water on the floor. I was walking along, all of a sudden I'm in a heap on the floor.
All of a sudden - Mea ake

Ki te kore tātou e maimoa i aua tini a Tāne, mea ake ka ngaro.
If we don't actively look after those children of Tāne, they'll become extinct in no time at all.
All of a sudden - Mea ake

Homai ana e Mahuika he ahi, whakawetohia ana e Māui. Pēneitia tonutia ā pau noa ngā maikuku katoa, atu i tētehi mea kotahi.
Mahuika gave him fire, Māui doused it. This carried on until all of her fingernails were used up except one.
It carried on like this... - Pēnei tonu...

He mea hoko kē pea te keke nei. Tērā tonu pea. Ehara ia i te tangata tunu keke, ki taku mōhio.
I think this cake might have been bought. Probably. As far as I know he's not a cake-maker.
Perhaps - Tērā pea

Tērā tonu pea nā Manu te papawīra rā. I mea mai ia he papawīra hou tāna.
That skateboard might well belong to Manu. He said he had a new skateboard.
Perhaps - Tērā pea

Kāore au e āhei te karanga, i te mea kei te ora tonu taku whaea.
I am not permitted to karanga, as my mother is still alive.
Allowed to do something - āhei

Mehemea nō konei koe, e āhei ana koe te tono karahipi i te Poari.
If you're from here, you can or are eligible to apply for a scholarship from the Board.
Allowed to do something - āhei

Kei te harikoa ahau i te mea kei konei koutou.
I am happy because you are all here.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

Kei te whakahīhi ahau i te mea kua oti taku mahi.
I am proud because my work is finished.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

Kei te mokemoke ahau i te mea kei rohe kē taku whānau.
I am lonely because my family is in another region.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

Kāore ia i te kai mīti.
He doesn't eat meat.
Negations of the present tense (I am not working) - Kāore... i te...

I te taha o te awa aua mea.
They were beside the river.
Locatives - past (something was somewhere) - i te

Kua mutu taku kai.
My meal is finished.
Statives - mate, ngaro, mau...

Ka nui te mīti, te hēki me te tuna.
There's plenty of meat, eggs and eels.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka tae te ope rā ki ā rātou mea i mahia mai rā i Āwhitu.
The group took their things which had been made in Āwhitu.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka pīrangi ia ki ngā mea katoa.
He wants all the things.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka mea atu te rōpā rā, 'He kai.'
The slave said, 'Food!'.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka mutu te kai, ka kī ia...
When the meal was over, he said...
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka mea atu a Kupe ki a Hotu,
Kupe said to Hotu, "We must return".
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka mea atu a Kupe ki a Hotu...
Kupe said to Hotu...
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka mea atu te kotiro rā ki tana whaea...
That girl said to her mother...
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka kīa e te taitamariki he mea mahi ki te mākutu.
The young people said it was done with black magic.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka kīa e te tatamariki he mea mahi ki te mākutu.
The young people said it was done with black magic.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Kāore koe e horoi i ngā rīhi i muri i te kai.
You will not wash the dishes after the meal.
Negations of the future (I will not go) - Kāore... e...

He whare kōhatu, he mea hōu.
A new, stone house.
Categorizing sentences - he

He mea pai ake kia āta kōrero.
It would be better if it was spoken slowly.
Categorizing sentences - he

Ko tēnei kupu, ko te "mārena" mea tango mai i te reo Pākehā.
This word, "mārena", was borrowed from English.
Using 'i' to indicate direction away from something - i - i

He mea e hiahia ana koe i te tāone?
Do you want something from the town?
Using 'i' to indicate direction away from something - i - i

Otirā ko ngā kai a te manuwhiri rā, he mea kai whakangaio.
But the visitors just pretended to eat their food.
Conjunctions - however - otirā

He mea whakamīharo te pikinga a Tā Edmund Hillary i Everest.
Sir Edmund Hillary's climbing of Everest was a noteworthy achievement.
Possessives - 'a' class - ā, tāku...

He mea ui e ia ki tana whaea te mahi e mahia au aua tū mea nei.
The method by which these kind of things were made was something he asked his mother.
Family relationships - mother - mama, whaea

He aha te tikanga o te raiti whero?
What does the red light mean?
What? - He aha?

He aha te tikanga o te raiti kākāriki?
What does the green light mean?
What? - He aha?

He aha te mea pai ake?
What's better?
What? - He aha?

He aha ngā mea papai ki a koe?
What do you like doing?
What? - He aha?

He aha te tikanga o tēnā?
What does that mean?
What? - He aha?

He aha ngā mea ngahau ki a koe?
What things do you find entertaining?
What? - He aha?

Te mōmona hoki o tēnā mīti!
How succulent that meat is!
That (near you) - tēnā, te... nā

He mea nui tēnā ki ahau.
That is important to me.
That (near you) - tēnā, te... nā

Te nui hoki o tēnā mea!
How big that thing is!
That (near you) - tēnā, te... nā

Ko Pita tērā kei te tapahi i te mīti.
That's Pita chopping the meat.
That (over there) - tērā

Te hui a te Whiringa-ā-nuku ko te mea mutunga mō tēnei tau.
The meeting in October will be the last for the year.
This week, this month, this year - i tēnei wiki, i tēnei marama...

Ko tēhea kaupapa te mea pai rawa ki a koe?
Which subject do you like the most?
Which - Ko tēhea?

Ko tēhea te mea pai ake?
Which is better?
Which - Ko tēhea?

Ko ia te mea hangareka o rāua ko Riripeti, tōna tuahine.
She is the funny one between her and Riripeti, her sister.
Talking about more than one person - ...rāua ko..., rātou ko...

Ko rātou ko ō rātou hoa ngā mea ngaro.
They and their friends are the missing ones.
Talking about more than one person - ...rāua ko..., rātou ko...

I whai atu a ia i te ahi kāpara.
He followed [her] by means of the burning torch.
Away - atu

Ko Ngāti-Kahukoka e mea ana nā rātou taua wāhi moana.
Ngāti-Kahukoka said that part of the sea belonged to them.
That aforementioned thing - taua, aua

Kaua e whakahokia ngā rīhi ki te kāpata i muri i te kai.
Don't return the dishes to the cupboard after the meal.
Negative passive commands (Don't be...) - Kaua... e...

Kaua e whakatikahia te tēpu mō te kai.
Don't set the table for the meal.
Negative passive commands (Don't be...) - Kaua... e...

Mehemea ka ua āpōpō, kāore au e haere ki te mahi.
If it rains tomorrow, I won't go to work.
If (using mehemea) - mehemea, mehe, mēnā

Mehemea...
If...
If (using mehemea) - mehemea, mehe, mēnā

Mehemea ka kite he kurī i tētahi tangata, ke auau.
If a dog sees someone, it barks.
If (using mehemea) - mehemea, mehe, mēnā

Ka kōrero a Toto, ki ana kōtiro, mehemea e pai rāua ki te moe tāne.
Toto asked his daughters if they wanted husbands.
If (using mehemea) - mehemea, mehe, mēnā

Ka kōrero a Toto ki ana kōtiro, mehemea e pai rāua ki te moe tāne.
Toto asked his daughters if they wanted to get married.
If (using mehemea) - mehemea, mehe, mēnā

Mehemea ka hoko au i tēnei tarau, ka pau aku moni.
If I buy this shirt, I'll have no money.
If (using mehemea) - mehemea, mehe, mēnā

Mehemea ka whiti te rā, ka haere mātou ki tātahi.
If the sun shines we will go to the beach.
If (using mehemea) - mehemea, mehe, mēnā

Mehemea heke te ua, ka haere mātou ki te tāone.
If the rain falls, we will go to town.
If (using mehemea) - mehemea, mehe, mēnā

Mehemea ka heke te hukapapa, ke haere mātou ki te maunga.
If the snow falls, we will go to the mountain.
If (using mehemea) - mehemea, mehe, mēnā

He mīti me te raihi te hapa pai ki a au.
Meat and rice are the best dinner for me!
I like... - He pai ki a au...

He pai ki ahau te mea nei.
I like this thing.
I like... - He pai ki a au...

He aha ngā mea pai ki a koe?
What things do you like?
I like... - He pai ki a au...

Ehara i ngā tamariki ngā mea tākaro i whakangaro.
The children didn’t lose the toys.
Negating the past agent emphatic - ehara i...

Ehara i te tama ngā mea tākaro i tiki.
The boy didn’t fetch the toys.
Negating the past agent emphatic - ehara i...

Ko koe te mea ka mahue i te pahi.
You're the one left behind by the bus.
Statives with 'i' - i a, i te, i ngā

He nui ake tāu mea i tāku mea.
Your thing is bigger than my thing.
Comparatives (better than...) - pai ake...

He mea whāngai ia.
He was fostered.
The pseudo-passive - he mea...

He mea hanga nā te Atua.
God created.
The pseudo-passive - he mea...

He mea hanga i roto i ngā roto i te ara haere atu i Waiuku ki Te Maioro.
[Some] were built in the lakes on the path going from Waiuku to Te Maioro.
The pseudo-passive - he mea...

Ko te māhunga he mea tia ki te hou.
Their heads were adorned with feathers.
The pseudo-passive - he mea...

Ko te nuinga ia i mea kia kāua e hoea ki te taua.
The majority, however, said that they should not paddle off to a hostile expedition.
Kia for second verb after a passive - kia

Ehara i te mea.
Not as if. Negates any sentence.

He manu ērā mea mā.
Those white things are birds.

Ehara i te mea he aha, heoi anō.
It's no big deal.

He mea tino tauhou ki te kite i te tamariki kāhore he ringa paru.
It is very strange to see a child without dirty henads.

Kātahi tō rātou rangatira, a Rua, ka mea....
Then their chief, Rua, said...

Ko Ponga te mea i mihi puku ki a ia.
Ponga admired her silently.

Na rātou ēnā mea.
Those things are theirs.

I kite au i a Mea inapō. Pai tōna āhua.
I saw Thingy last night. S/he was looking good.

He tino reka te mīti!
The meat is yummy!

Tē taea te haere i te mea kua pakaru te waka.
[We] couldn't go because the car was broken down.

Nā te mea...
Because...

Tino reka te kai a te ringawera!
The chef's meal was delicious!

Ko koe te mea tika.
You are the right person.

Uia te tangata tautōhito, parea te mea mātau.
Ask the experienced one, not those who have learned it.

Kua mate tō tātou mea kahurangi.
Our precious one has passed away.

Ko ngā mea ra.
Those ones over there.

Ko te mea kākāriki.
The green one.

Atu i te āhua o ngā kupu, kāore he tino rerekētanga o ēnei pū tohu wā e rua nei.
In terms of the meaning of the words, there is no significant difference between these two expressions.

He mea nui!
It's important!

Ehara i te mea...
It's not as if...

Kia tau ngā manaakitanga a te mea ngaro
Let the strength and life force of our ancestors

Ko ngā mea rā.
Those ones over there.

Ke mea mai ia, ka pai tana kaiako ki te waiata.
He says that his teacher is good at singing.

Ko te mea tawhito tērā.
That is the old one.

Ko ngā mea tawhito ērā.
Those are the old ones.

Mā ngā mea nunui e rahu te tapu o te pā nei.
The important ones can touch the sacred things of this pā.

Ko tēnā whaaaro te mea tika.
That idea is the right one.

Kāti, e mea ana koe ko Ponga hei ariki mōu?
Then are you saying Ponga is to be your lord?

Ko tēnei he mea nō roto i te waea.
This is something from the inside of your phone.

Nōna te waka. He koretake taua mea.
The car is his. It's a useless one.

Ko tētehi mea nui o te ao Māori, ko te whakawhanaungatanga.
One important aspect of Māoridom is relationships.

He pai ake te huawhenua i te miti.
Vegetables are better than meat.

Ko Kararaina te mea i tū ki te karanga.
Katherine is the one who stood and called.

Nā te mea kua whara tana waewae.
Because his leg is injured.

Kia meatia he karakia mā tātou.
Let's say a karakia for us.

Nā te mea i kaha ake rātau i a tātau.
Because they were stronger than us.

I mea atu rā hoki ahau ki a koe kua whakapuaretia e ia te kēti ki a tātou.
I told you he would open the gate for us.

Ko ngā mea e tū ana.
The ones standing up.

ko wai te mea
.

Ki a au, he reka atu te kai moana i te kai mīti.
I reckon, seafood is better than meat.

Ko ngā mea nei.
These ones.

mīti me te rīwai.
meat and spuds.

Anei kē te mea nui.
Here actually is the important thing.

He mea pai tonu.
It's still okay.

Tangohia mai te mea nā i raro i te oko.
Peel off the thing from under the bowl.

Ehara i te mea he mōrerarea.
It's not as if it is dangerous.

Me te mea ko Kōpū ka rer i te pae.
[A beautful woman is] like Venus rising above the horizon.

Ka nui ngā toenga mīti kei roto i te kāpata.
There is a lot of leftover meat in the cupboard.

Tana mea pai he kōura.
She likes crayfish.

Ka nui ngā toenga mīti.
There's plenty of left-over meat.

I mea atu ahau ki a mea.
I spoke to so-and-so.

Tino reka te mīti!
The meat is yummy!

E toru ngā mea.
There are three things.

E toru ngā mea.
There are three things.

Mea whakakore taku whakaritenga i te Rāpare rā.
My appointment on Thursday was cancelled.

E mea ana ētahi he mahi kino te whawhe ira kararehe, hua rānei, ko ētahi e mea ana he pai.
Some say that genetic engineering of animals and food plants is a bad thing, others that it is good.

Ko te heihei te tūmomo mīti e kainga ana e ratou.
The type of meat that is being eaten by them is chicken

Ki tōku nei whakaaro, koinei te mea pai rawa.
In my opinion, this is the best one.

He mea tino rahi te whakatūtūranga a te Rā o Waitangi.
The demonstration on Waitangi Day will be a big one.

He mīti me te kāpeti.
Meat and cabbage.

Mea mahi ngā poi ki te kōrari.
Poi are made of flax.

Ko te reo Māori he ara ki te hauora me te oranga
Making te reo Māori a means of health and wellbeing

Ko tēnei tētahi o ngā mea pai rawa.
This is one of the best ones.

Iti te kupu nui te kōrero.
Short but laden with meaning.

Ehara i te mea mōna tērā tūru.
That chair is not for him.