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Te Reo Māori for Absolute Beginners • Lesson 2 of 8
Ngā Mihi
Greetings and farewells
Learn how to greet one person, two people or a group, ask how someone is, and choose a farewell that fits who is leaving.
Whāinga AkoLearning goals
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Choose a greeting
Use the correct greeting for one person, two people or three or more people.
Ask and answer
Take part in a short exchange about how someone is feeling.
Choose a farewell
Use haere rā and e noho rā according to who is leaving.
Greet respectfully
Understand that greetings acknowledge people and help begin a relationship well.
Kia ora
Kia ora is a flexible everyday expression. It can be used as hello, thank you or an acknowledgement.
Greeting People by Number
Te reo Māori distinguishes between one person, two people and three or more people.
Tēnā koe
Greetings to one personTēnā kōrua
Greetings to two peopleTēnā koutou
Greetings to three or more people| Māori word | Who it refers to | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| koe | you — one person | |
| kōrua | you two | |
| koutou | you — three or more people |
Kei te pēhea koe?
Ask one person how they are, then practise a simple answer.
A Short Conversation
Read the English directly beneath each line, then use the audio buttons to practise both parts.
Farewells: Who Is Leaving?
The direction matters. Think about whether the other person is going or staying.
He Wāhi, He Mihi
A place and a greeting. Greetings connect people with one another and with the place in which they meet.
Tikanga: More Than Saying Hello
Mihi acknowledge people and help establish respectful connections.
Acknowledge people
Pause, make the greeting genuine and include everyone present. Choose koe, kōrua or koutou carefully.
Follow your hosts
On a marae or at a formal event, follow the guidance of the hau kāinga. Customs such as harirū and hongi depend on the setting.
Respect local reo
Iwi and hapū may use different words or pronunciation. These differences are valid; listen and adapt respectfully.
Whakarongo, Kōrero, Whakahāngai
Listen, speak and apply. Practise with a partner or imagine each audience.
- One person: say Tēnā koe.
- Two people: say Tēnā kōrua.
- A group: say Tēnā koutou.
- Ask and answer: practise Kei te pēhea koe? and Kei te pai ahau.
- Change direction: take turns leaving and staying, using haere rā and e noho rā.
Knowledge Check
Open each question after choosing your answer.
1. How do you greet one person?
Tēnā koe.
2. How do you greet two people?
Tēnā kōrua.
3. How do you greet three or more people?
Tēnā koutou.
4. You are leaving and the other person is staying. What do you say to them?
E noho rā. You say it to the person who is staying.
5. Why should you follow local guidance for greetings and pronunciation?
Because reo and tikanga can vary between iwi, hapū and rohe. Listening to local people shows respect.