Using Te Reo in Wellington

Hei whakanui i te wiki o te Reo Māori, anei ētahi kīanga paku hei āwhina i a koe ki te huri haere, kia whānui ake hoki tō mōhio mō Te Whanganui a Tara.

For Māori Language Week, here are a few phrases for getting around and getting to know Wellington.

Ahakoa ko te wiki o te Reo Māori, he wiki atu anō rānei i te tau – e taea ana tō reo te whakapakari ake ahakoa te wā. He wāhi pai a Te Whanganui a Tara ki te whakaharatau. I tēnei tāone reorua, he huarahi pai ngā kīanga o ia rā  ki te ako e pā ana ki te ahurea, ki te pāhekoheko tahi hoki ki ngā tāngata o te rohe nei.

I a koe e hīkoi haere ana i ngā ara o te tāone, ka kaha rangona e koe te tuituinga o ngā kupu Māori ki roto i te kōrero. Ka iti noa iho tō whakapaunga kaha kia whai wāhi atu ai. Anei ētahi kīanga hei āwhina i a koe me tō torotoro haere i Te Whanganui a Tara.

Ā, kaua e wareware ki te kī atu ‘kia ora’ ki te kaitaraiwa o te pahi. Ko ‘Kia ora’ tētahi mihi ōpaki, e kapi ana i a ia ko ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’ me ‘thanks’.

A view of Wellington Harbour/ Port Nicholson at golden hour with Matiu/Somes Island in the centre of the image.
Waiter serving smiling customers at an outside table of August Eatery, with other customers and green plants in the foreground.
Four friends are having coffee and food at a café.
looking out over Wellington CBD from Mount Victoria during sunset.

I te kēmu | At the game

Kaua e makaia, me kiki Don’t pass it, kick it
Kia kaha ngā Ōpango Go hard All Blacks
Kua piro Try time
E oma! Run!

I tētahi wāhi kai | At a café or restaurant 

He mōwai māku Flat white, please
He tēpu mā te tokorua Table for two, please
I rawe te kai, kei te mihi! The food was great thank you
Kei hea te whareiti? Where is the bathroom

Huri noa i te tāone | Around the city

Ka paki ana te rā, ko Te Whanganui a Tara a runga You can’t beat Wellington on a good day
Kia pai te rā Have a great day
Kia kapo whakaahua tātou Let’s take a picture
E aha ana koe i te rā nei? What are your plans today

Translations provided by Matarau Consultants.

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