Speaking (Kōrero)
Speaking (Kōrero)
The Speaking domain assesses your ability to sustain spoken te reo Māori in an interview or short interaction: pronunciation, range of language, fluency, and responding appropriately to questions. Accuracy matters, but so does being understood.
Core rules and concepts
- Pronounce long vowels clearly and hold them; kōrero is not korero. Ng and wh are single consonants.
- Use the right sentence pattern for the question: Ko wai koe? → Ko [name] ahau; Nō hea koe? → Nō [place] ahau; Kei hea koe? → Kei [place] ahau.
- Build answers with a reason or contrast: engari, nā te mea, otirā.
- Interactive cues keep the exchange going: āe, kāo, tika, ka pai, he aha...?
- Match register: a formal mihi or pepeha needs tēnā koutou, not slang.
Worked example
Question: Nō hea koe? A weak answer is Ōtautahi. A stronger answer: Nō Ōtautahi ahau, engari kei Te Whanganui-a-Tara e noho ana. Reasoning: Nō + place + ahau states origin; engari signals contrast; kei + place + e noho ana states current residence. This answers the question and extends it naturally.
Traps that cost marks
- Translating from English word order instead of using Māori patterns.
- Forgetting ahau or putting it in the wrong place.
- Using ko for origin (Ko Ōtautahi ahau is identity, not origin).
- Overusing English fillers such as um and like instead of āe or ka pai.
- Reciting a memorised pepeha without understanding a follow-up question.
- Dropping final vowels, which can change the word.