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Pronunciation

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Māori is a phonetic language, which means words are spelled according to their sounds.

The Māori language has 20 distinct sounds in its alphabet.

They are:

  • five short vowels: a, e, i, o, u

  • five long vowels (macrons): ā, ē, ī, ō, ū

  • eight consonants: h, k, m, n, p, r, t, w

  • Digraphs: 'ng’ and ‘wh.’
     

Every syllable ends in a vowel. When two vowels occur together, each has its own sound, but there is no break as one merges into the other.

Why is it important to pronounce te reo Māori words correctly? 

 

​Pronouncing te reo Māori words correctly shows respect for Māori culture and te reo Māori. It acknowledges the importance of preserving and promoting indigenous languages.​​ Correct pronunciation ensures that the intended meaning of the words is conveyed accurately. Māori words often have specific meanings, and mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations.​​ Māori, like many indigenous languages, has faced challenges such as language decline and endangerment. By learning and using correct pronunciation, individuals contribute to the revitalization of the language and its continued use in everyday life.

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Watch this video of this young man from Kāpiti College explaining the importance of pronouncing te reo Māori words correctly. Miharo!

Vowel Pronunciation

Short vowel

  • a as in up

  • e as in egg

  • i as in key

  • o as in paw

  • u as in shoe

Long vowel (macron)

  • ā as in car

  • ē as in pair

  • ī as in peep

  • ō as in store

  • ū as in moon

Watch the video here to practice.

Diagraph: 'wh' and 'ng'

No two consonants appear together in te reo Māori except for the digraphs ‘ng’ and ‘wh.’

The ‘ng’ digraph is pronounced as it sounds in the English word ‘singer'.

The ‘wh’ digraph originally sounded like the ‘wh’ in ‘whisper’, but in most dialects has evolved to be more like the English ‘f’ sound.

'wh' tips.

'ng' tips.

Regional and dialectal variation

It is important to note that different pronunciation is found in different tribal areas. Some Ngāi Tūhoe pronounces the ‘ng’ as ‘n’ as in 'neru' for 'ngeru', while Ngāi Tāhu replace ‘ng’ with ‘k’ as in 'keru' for 'ngeru'. Among the Whanganui and Taranaki tribes the ‘wh’ is pronounced as ‘w’ followed by a glottal stop as in 'wakarongo' for 'whakarongo'. In some parts of Northland the ‘wh’ in ‘whaka’ is pronounced as ‘h’, so ‘whakarongo’ becomes ‘hakarongo’.

Constanats. 

Te reo Māori does not have consonant clusters (a group or sequence of consonants that appear together in a syllable without a vowel between them).

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Consonants are mainly pronounced as they are in English. The exceptions are: 

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t - is pronounced more like a 'd' with the tip of the tongue slightly further back from the teeth.

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r - is not rolled but is pronounced quite close to the 'l' in English. The tongue is in the same place as, for example, when you say 'lollies'. 

't' tips.

'r' tips.

Foundation of every Māori word

A great way to start practising your te reo Māori pronunciation is by singing this song. It includes the foundation of every te reo Māori word.

A.jpg

Reference list:

Te reo Māori pronunciation guide. (n.d.). Victoria University of Wellington: Te Herenga Waka. https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/maori-hub/rauemi/te-reo-at-university/te-reo-maori-pronunciation-guide

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Galbraith, F. (2016). The importance of correctly pronouncing Māori words [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6-SdrRxPOQ&t=1s

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Poutawa, Wh. (2021). Te Reo Māori for Beginners - Pronunciation 1 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_DtsHdMAtk

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Taiuru, K. (n.d.). Introduction to Te Reo Māori Pronunciation. Otago University. https://www.otago.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/314907/introduction-to-te-reo-maori-pronunciation-830709.pdf

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Reo Māori. (2021). How to pronounce 'Wh' in te reo Māori [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BYibIFZ5AY

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Matua Sensei. (2022). Te reo Episode 6 - The Ng Sound [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_2qSB8vDeQ

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A guide to pronunciation. (n.d.). Reo Māori. https://www.reomaori.co.nz/pronunciation

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Starting in te reo Māori. (2023). Two T's of Te Reo Māori | #shorts | Māori Language Lesson [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqebGA5Twm0

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Just Āpera. (2020). How To Pronounce 'R' in Te Reo Māori [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riPnMMvmhaA&t=26s

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Rae, D. (2014). Maori Alphabet (Arapū) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9081U86Ylf4

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