Te Reo Māori Basics: Greetings, Pepeha, and the Classroom

Opening Context

Welcome to the Māori language! In te ao Māori (the Māori world), relationships and connections are at the heart of everything. Before any learning or business begins, it is essential to acknowledge the people in the room and establish who you are and where you come from. This process of connection is called whakawhanaungatanga. This lesson will give you the foundational tools to greet others respectfully, introduce yourself using a traditional framework (pepeha), and navigate a basic classroom environment in te reo Māori.

Learning Objectives

• Greet individuals and groups correctly based on the number of people present.
• Introduce your name, hometown, and geographical connections using a basic pepeha.
• Identify essential classroom objects and roles.
• Understand and respond to common classroom commands.

Core Concepts

Ngā Mihi (Greetings)

Greetings in te reo Māori range from casual to highly formal. The most important rule to remember is that formal greetings change depending on exactly how many people you are speaking to.

Informal Greetings:

• Kia ora: The most common and versatile greeting. It literally means "be well" or "have life." You can use it to say hello, thank you, or to show agreement.
• Mōrena: Good morning. (You may also hear Ata mārie).
• Pōmārie: Good night.

Formal Greetings (Counting matters): When using the formal greeting Tēnā (which acknowledges the presence of the person), you must add the correct pronoun for the number of people you are addressing.

• Tēnā koe: Hello to one person.
• Tēnā kōrua: Hello to exactly two people.
• Tēnā koutou: Hello to three or more people.

The Pepeha (Personal Introduction)

A pepeha is a traditional way of introducing yourself. Instead of just stating what you do for a living, a pepeha connects you to the physical landscape (mountains, rivers) and your origins. For beginners, we use a simplified structure.

Note: If you are not Māori, it is common to use this structure to acknowledge the land you grew up on or feel connected to, while being respectful of the local indigenous history.

1. Acknowledging the Land and Water:

• Ko [Mountain] te maunga. (The mountain I connect to is [Mountain].)
• Ko [River/Ocean] te awa/moana. (The river/ocean I connect to is [River/Ocean].)

2. Acknowledging your Origin and Name:

• Nō [Place] ahau. (I am from [Place].)
• Ko [Name] tōku ingoa. (My name is [Name].)

Example: Ko Tarawera te maunga. Ko Rotorua te moana. Nō Aotearoa ahau. Ko Hēmi tōku ingoa.

Kupu o te Akomanga (Classroom Vocabulary)

To participate in a te reo Māori class, you need to know who is in the room and the objects around you.

People:

• Kaiako: Teacher
• Ākonga: Student / Learner

Objects:

• Pukapuka: Book
• Pene: Pen
• Tēpu: Table
• Tūru: Chair

Ngā Tono (Commands)

Teachers frequently use short commands to guide the class. Many action words (verbs) can be used on their own as a command, while some short verbs require the particle "e" before them.

Action Commands:

• Whakarongo: Listen
• Titiro: Look
• Kōrero: Speak

Commands with "E":

• E noho: Sit down
• E tū: Stand up

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Saying "Tēnā koe" to a room full of people. Why it happens: English uses "hello" for both individuals and groups, so learners default to the first formal greeting they learn. Correction: Count your audience! Use Tēnā koe for one, Tēnā kōrua for two, and Tēnā koutou for three or more.

Mistake: Saying "Ko ahau Hēmi" to mean "I am Hēmi." Why it happens: Translating directly from English word order (I + am + Name). Correction: Use the structure Ko [Name] tōku ingoa (My name is [Name]) or Ko [Name] ahau (I am [Name]). The word Ko acts as an equating word at the start of the sentence.

Mistake: Ignoring the macrons (the lines above vowels, like ā, ē, ī, ō, ū). Why it happens: English doesn't use macrons, so learners often skip them when writing or reading. Correction: Macrons indicate a long vowel sound and can completely change the meaning of a word. Always write them and hold the vowel sound slightly longer when speaking (e.g., tēpu sounds like "teh-poo" with a longer 'e', not "tep-oo").

Practice Prompts

1. Write out your own basic pepeha using the four lines provided in the Core Concepts section. Practice saying it aloud until it flows naturally.
2. Imagine you are walking into a room with one teacher and two other students. How would you greet the teacher? How would you greet the two students? How would you greet the whole room?
3. Label the objects in your study space (book, pen, table, chair) with sticky notes using their Māori names.

Examples

Greeting Scenarios:

• Meeting your friend at a cafe: "Kia ora!"
• Walking into a meeting with your boss: "Tēnā koe."
• Addressing a married couple: "Tēnā kōrua."
• Speaking to a classroom of students: "Mōrena, tēnā koutou."

Classroom Scenarios:

• The teacher wants the class to pay attention to the board: "Titiro!"
• The teacher wants the class to repeat a word: "Kōrero!"
• The class is starting and everyone needs to take their seats: "E noho."

Key Takeaways

• Always adjust your formal greeting (Tēnā koe, kōrua, koutou) based on the exact number of people you are speaking to.
• A pepeha is a traditional introduction that connects you to your environment (mountain, water) before stating your name.
• Macrons (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) are essential for correct pronunciation and meaning in te reo Māori.
• Classroom commands are often simple verbs (whakarongo, titiro), but short verbs require an "e" before them (e noho, e tū).

Vocabulary List

Ngā Mihi (Greetings)

• Kia ora — Hello / Be well / Thank you
• Mōrena — Good morning
• Pōmārie — Good night
• Tēnā koe — Hello (to one person)
• Tēnā kōrua — Hello (to two people)
• Tēnā koutou — Hello (to three or more people)

Pepeha (Introduction)

• Maunga — Mountain
• Awa — River
• Moana — Ocean / Lake
• Ingoa — Name
• Nō ... ahau — I am from ...
• Ko ... tōku ingoa — My name is ...

Te Akomanga (The Classroom)

• Kaiako — Teacher
• Ākonga — Student / Learner
• Pukapuka — Book
• Pene — Pen
• Tēpu — Table
• Tūru — Chair
• Whakarongo — Listen
• Titiro — Look
• Kōrero — Speak
• E noho — Sit down
• E tū — Stand up