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Rauemi Reo | Language Resources

Bilingual waste bins

Want to grow your te reo Māori knowledge? We've put together a list of great resources from around the web to help you on your bilingual journey. Learn practical language tips, pronunciation, and learn about the stories behind some of Rotorua's well-known places and people.

  • Make it a conscious habit to pronounce Māori words correctly
  • Learn a new word each day
  • Make it a habit to say Māori greetings such as kia ora and tēnā koe all the time
  • Start learning about the meaning and the stories behind place names such as Tūtanekai.

Learning resources

Te Aka - Māori dictionary

Look up words or phrases and access videos, podcasts and more to help you learn te reo Māori via the online dictionary, Te Aka.

Te Aka - Māori dictionary

Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori

The Māori Language Commission holds a wealth of knowledge about te reo Māori and provides a huge variety of resources, which you can add to your language bank. Visit their website reomaori.co.nz for downloadable resources.

Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori | Māori Language Commission
ReoMaori.co.nz

Translations and interpreters

You can also enlist the services of a registered translator or interpreter by searching the national register for a local expert.

Te Rēhita Kaiwhakamāori | Translator Register

Pronunciation tips

Use these easy tips to sharpen your pronunciation of vowels, syllables and digraphs (the combined sounds of two consonants) in te reo Māori.

Vowel Say it like: Vowel Say it like:
a apple ā far
e egg ē bed
i eat ī sheep
o awful ō pork
u putū boot
Syllable Say it like: Syllable Say it like:
ta d-ah (about) tā d-aar
te d-eh (enter) tē d-ee (bed)
ti tee (t-shirt) ī sheep
to dawtō door
tu twotū too (boot)
Digraph Say it like:
ng singer
wh f

Rolling the R - "rr" rolls off the tip of the tongue, like a cat purring or like saying the word "judder".

Bilingual parking meter in the CBD

Signage and street names

Rotorua is one of the only cities in Aotearoa New Zealand with original Māori street names all throughout the CBD.

Read about the fascinating stories behind some of these street names and people on the Great Te Arawa Stories website.

The Street Names of Rotorua - gtas.nz

At work

Do you have a business or organisation that aspires to be bilingual? Check out these resources for creating bilingual signs, designs and more.

Māori-English Bilingual Signage Guides - Te Puni Kōkiri
Workplace resources
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