| Maori | English |
|---|---|
| Click on each word to hear how it sounds | |
| engari | but |
| hiainu | thirsty |
| hiakai | hungry |
| hua whenua | vegetables |
| huka | sugar |
| kai | food |
| kapu kawhe | cup of coffee |
| ke | already |
| mau | for you |
| miraka | milk |
Vowels
There are 5 vowel sounds in Maori; they are pronounced ‘short’ or ’long’. In written form, the long vowel is usually marked with a macron e.g. a.
Click on each letter to hear how it sounds
| Vowel | How it sounds |
|---|---|
| a | as in putt |
| e | as in pen |
| i | as in me |
| o | as in for |
| u | as in you |
| Vowel | How it sounds |
|---|---|
| a | as in car |
| e | as in end |
| i | as in tea |
| o | as in your |
| u | as in blue |
Consonants
Click on each consonant to hear how it sounds
The consonant sounds are:
h | k | m | n | ng | p | r | t | w | wh
ng as in singer
wh as in feather
r pronounced quite close to the English L, with the tongue near the front of the mouth