te-reo-maori-absolute-beginners-course

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ITIAN Short Course • Absolute Beginner

Te Reo Māori for Absolute Beginners

Begin your reo journey with clear pronunciation guidance, practical everyday phrases and respectful explanations of tikanga. No previous experience is needed.

Tīmata — Start the Course View the Lessons

A Welcoming First Step into Te Reo Māori

Ten manageable lessons help you listen, repeat, read and use simple reo with growing confidence.

10 lessonsA clear beginner pathway

Self-pacedLearn in your own time

No experienceStart from the beginning

Practical reoLanguage you can use

Learning with respect: Te reo Māori is a taonga. Listen carefully, use macrons correctly, welcome correction and follow the guidance of mana whenua and fluent speakers.

Language, Whenua and Aotearoa

Te reo Māori connects people, identity, history and the living landscapes of Aotearoa.

Coastal landscape at Opononi in the Hokianga, Aotearoa — Opononi and the Hokianga — one of the many places where local reo, stories and tikanga are carried through generations.

What You Will Learn

By the end of the course, you will have practical foundations for continuing your learning.

Pronunciation

Recognise Māori vowel sounds, long vowels, macrons, “ng” and “wh”.

Greetings

Use common greetings, acknowledgements and farewells respectfully.

Introductions

Say your name and give a simple, appropriate beginner introduction.

Everyday Kōrero

Ask and answer a few useful questions in a short conversation.

Course Lessons

Work through the lessons in order. Each lesson adds a small set of sounds, words and sentence patterns.

Ngā OroSounds and pronunciation

Meet the Māori alphabet, vowels, macrons, “ng” and “wh”.

Open Lesson 1

Ngā MihiGreetings and farewells

Practise greetings for one person, two people and groups.

Open Lesson 2

Ko Wai Au?Introducing yourself

Say your name and ask another person’s name.

Open Lesson 3

Real-Life Beginner ConversationsPutting introductions into practice

Use greetings and introductions in practical beginner conversations.

Open Lesson 4

Ngā TauNumbers from one to ten

Learn tahi through tekau and practise number patterns.

Open Lesson 5

Tōku WhānauPeople and whānau

Build beginner vocabulary for family and people.

Open Lesson 6

He PātaiSimple questions and answers

Ask how someone is and respond simply.

Open Lesson 7

Kei Hea?Places and directions

Use beginner words for familiar places and locations.

Open Lesson 8

Ngā Ingoa Wāhi o HokiangaLocal place names of Hokianga

Recognise local names and use them in simple location sentences.

Open Lesson 9

He Kōrero MāmāA simple conversation

Bring greetings, questions, local places and farewells together.

Open Lesson 10

Beginner Phrases

Select Listen beside each phrase. The English meaning appears immediately underneath.

Kia ora

Hello / thank you

Tēnā koe

Greetings to one person

Ko wai tō ingoa?

What is your name?

Ko Mere ahau

I am Mere

Kei te pēhea koe?

How are you?

Kei te pai ahau

I am well

Ngā mihi

Thanks / acknowledgements

Ka kite anō

See you again

Audio note: The pronunciation buttons use the Māori voice available on the learner’s device. Voice quality can vary between browsers and devices.

Tikanga and Respectful Learning

Language and culture belong together. These principles help beginners learn with care.

Te reo Māori is a taonga

Treat the language as a treasured living language. Listen, practise sincerely and welcome correction.

Names and macrons matter

A macron marks a long vowel and can affect meaning. Make a genuine effort with people’s names and place names.

Follow local guidance

Reo and tikanga can vary between iwi and rohe. Listen to mana whenua and never claim whakapapa or copy a pepeha that is not yours.

Ready to Begin?

Start with the sounds of te reo Māori and take one confident step at a time.

Tīmata — Start the Course Return to Student Dashboard