Te reo Māori at the University

Integrate te reo Māori into your everyday interactions.

Te reo Māori at the University aims to help you use more te reo Māori (Māori language) around the University. Using any of the Māori names, phrases, or greetings listed here will strengthen the effect of our Treaty of Waitangi Statute. It also makes the University more inclusive and distinctive.

Ko te reo tōku tuakiri | Language is my identity
Ko te reo tōku ahurei | Language is my uniqueness
Ko te reo te ora | Language is life

While we have taken care to be as accurate as possible with the information, you need to be aware that there are different Māori dialects. This means words and phrases in this section may vary from those used elsewhere in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Māori greetings and phrases

Learn some Māori phrases to use when meeting people, talking on the phone, or writing letters.

Te reo Māori pronunciation guide

Learn to pronounce Māori words correctly to become more confident using them. Find out how to pronounce Māori vowels, consonants, and digraphs.

University names and places in te reo Māori

A list of Māori names currently used for some of the faculties, schools, central service units, and research centres within the University.

University roles in te reo Māori

A number of the roles at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington have equivalent Māori position titles.

Māori days and months

Another way to introduce te reo Māori into your everyday activity is to learn and use the Māori days of the week and months of the year.

Using te reo Māori in correspondence

Once you know the relevant Māori titles, names, greetings, and farewells, it is relatively simple to format your letters, memos, or emails using te reo Māori.

Using te reo Māori on the phone

You can use Māori phrases to both answer and end a conversation on the phone. You can also use them in your voicemail messages.

Bilingual email signatures and business cards

You can easily incorporate te reo Māori into email signatures and business cards.

Other te reo Māori resources

There are many other resources available to assist you incorporate te reo Māori into your work and studies.