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Māori Language: An Introduction for Travellers and Newcomers

Caleb Carter

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The Māori language is the indigenous language of New Zealand. It is spoken by around 150,000 people, or about 3% of the population. Māori is an official language of New Zealand, along with English and New Zealand Sign Language.

History of the Māori Language

The Māori language is thought to have arrived in New Zealand with the first Polynesian settlers around 1,000 years ago. The language has evolved over time, and there are now several different dialects of Māori spoken throughout the country. The most widely spoken dialect is Te Reo Māori, which is the standard form of the language used in schools and official settings.

Maori Language: An Introduction for Travellers and Newcomers

by Russ Roberts

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3252 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
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Dialects of Māori

There are three main dialects of Māori: Te Reo Māori, Te Arawa, and Te Atiawa. Te Reo Māori is the most widely spoken dialect, and it is the standard form of the language used in schools and official settings. Te Arawa is spoken in the Rotorua area, and Te Atiawa is spoken in the Wellington region.

Pronunciation of Māori

Māori pronunciation can be tricky for non-native speakers. Here are a few tips:

All vowels are pronounced clearly and distinctly.
The letter "h" is pronounced like the "h" in "hat".
The letter "r" is pronounced like the "r" in "rolling".
The letter "t" is pronounced like the "t" in "top".
The letter "w" is pronounced like the "w" in "water".

Basic Māori Vocabulary

Here are some basic Māori words and phrases that you may find useful when travelling or living in New Zealand:

Māori Word	English Translation
Kia ora	Hello
Tena koe	Hello (to one person)
Tena koutou	Hello (to multiple people)
Kei te pēhea koe?	How are you?
Kei te pai	I'm good
Kei te aha koe?	What are you ng?
E haere ana au ki te mahi	I'm going to work
E haere ana au ki te kura	I'm going to school
E haere ana au ki te hoko kai	I'm going to the store
Ka kite anō au i a koe	See you later

Useful Phrases for Travellers and Newcomers

Here are some useful phrases for travellers and newcomers to New Zealand:

Kia ora, e koutou katoa. Kei te pēhea koutou? (Hello everyone. How are you?)
Tēnā koutou katoa. E haere mai ki Aotearoa. (Welcome to New Zealand.)
E hia te utu? (How much is this?)
Kei te aha tēnei? (What is this?)
E hia nga ra e noho koutou ki konei? (How many days will you be staying here?)
Kei hea te wharepaku? (Where is the bathroom?)
Kei hea te kai? (Where is the food?)
Kei hea te wai? (Where is the water?)
Ka kite anō au i a koe. (See you later.)

Learning Māori

There are many ways to learn Māori. You can take classes, listen to Māori music and radio, watch Māori television, or read Māori books and newspapers. There are also many online resources available to help you learn Māori.

Learning Māori is a great way to connect with the culture and people of New Zealand. It can also be a fun and rewarding experience.

Image attributions

* [Image of Māori people speaking] (https://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/21327/maori-people-speaking) * [Image of Māori carving] (https://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/34222/maori-carving) * [Image of Māori tattoo] (https://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/16730/maori-tattoo)

Maori Language: An Introduction for Travellers and Newcomers

by Russ Roberts

4 out of 5