NCEA Te Reo Matatini - Te Reo Torohū Co-requisite (NZQA Standard 32413) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

tohutō

The macron used in written Māori to mark a long vowel, as in ā, ē, ī, ō, ū. Length changes meaning, so tohutō are part of correct spelling.

ngā / te

Definite articles: 'te' is singular, 'ngā' is plural. Use 'te whare' for one house and 'ngā whare' for several houses.

kua

Perfect aspect particle marking a completed action with present relevance. It precedes the verb: 'Kua tae mai te manuhiri' means the guests have arrived.

e ... ana

Present progressive construction wrapping the verb, as in 'E kōrero ana ia'. It marks an ongoing action happening now and can also describe habitual action.

kāore ... i / e

Negation pattern for verbal sentences. Use 'kāore ... i' for past and 'kāore ... e' for present or future: 'Kāore au i haere'.

ehara ... i

Negation pattern for nominal sentences, used to deny identity or classification: 'Ehara ia i te kaiako' means he or she is not a teacher.

ko / he

Nominal sentence particles. 'Ko' identifies a specific entity ('Ko Tāne tōku ingoa'), while 'he' classifies an indefinite one ('He kaiako ia').

a-possessive vs o-possessive

Māori divides possession into a and o categories. A-possessives cover movable and active things; o-possessives cover ancestral, inalienable, and passive relationships such as whare and matua.

tāua / māua

First-person dual inclusive and exclusive pronouns. 'Tāua' means you and I; 'māua' means the speaker and one other, excluding the listener.

tātou / mātou

First-person plural inclusive and exclusive pronouns. 'Tātou' includes the listener; 'mātou' excludes the listener. The distinction matters in formal speech.

whaka- prefix

Causative prefix meaning to cause or make, as in whakamārama (to explain) and whakapono (to believe). It is a productive way to build new verbs.

-nga / -tanga suffixes

Nominalising suffixes that turn verbs into nouns, as in kōrerotanga (discussion) and whakaaro (thought). Recognising them helps decode long written words.

kei te

Particle marking present progressive action when followed by a verb, or present location when followed by a noun: 'Kei te haere' versus 'Kei te whare'.

hei

Particle introducing future purpose, role, or instrument, as in 'hei kaiako' (as a teacher) or 'hei āpōpō' (for tomorrow). It does not mark past time.

koha

A gift given at a pōwhiri or hui, placed down rather than handed over. It is not a payment or entry fee, and the amount is not negotiated aloud.

pōwhiri

Formal welcome ceremony on a marae. It follows the order karanga, whaikōrero, waiata, hongi or harirū, then kai to lift tapu.

karanga

The ceremonial call by women that opens a pōwhiri. It acknowledges the dead and the living and calls visitors onto the marae.

whaikōrero

Formal speech delivered on the marae. The host speaks first, visitors reply, and the host has the last word. Speakers use set oratory conventions.

hongi / harirū

Greeting forms. Hongi is the pressing of noses, sharing the breath of life; harirū is the handshake. Both follow speeches and waiata at a pōwhiri.

tapu me te noa

Complementary concepts of restriction and openness. Tapu marks sacred or restricted states; noa restores ordinary use. Food is noa and lifts tapu.

manaakitanga

Hospitality and care for others, a core cultural value. It covers looking after guests and upholding their dignity throughout a visit.

whakapapa

Genealogy and lines of descent linking people to ancestors and to the land. It is a living framework, not a simple family tree diagram.

kaitiakitanga

Guardianship and stewardship of the environment and resources. It is an obligation held on behalf of future generations rather than ownership.

mihi

A formal greeting or speech of acknowledgement. It typically addresses the spiritual realm, the land, ancestors, and the assembled people in that order.

Tēnā koe / kōrua / koutou

Greetings matched to number: 'Tēnā koe' to one person, 'Tēnā kōrua' to two, 'Tēnā koutou' to three or more. Number agreement is expected in formal speech.

E noho rā / Haere rā

Farewells that depend on who is leaving. 'E noho rā' is said to those staying; 'Haere rā' is said to those departing.

passive endings

Suffixes forming passive verbs: -tia, -hia, -ngia, -ria, -a, -mia, -whia. The correct ending is lexically determined, as in horoia and tuhia.

directional particles

Particles attached to verbs that show direction relative to the speaker: mai (towards), atu (away), ake (up or own), iho (down). They change verb meaning.

question particles

Question words matched to answer types: wai (who), aha (what), hea (where), āhea (when), pēhea (how), hia (how many). Answers repeat the matching particle.

vowel length contrast

Māori distinguishes words by vowel length alone, such as keke (cake) and kēkē (armpit). Mispronouncing length changes meaning and is a listening trap.

ng and wh digraphs

Two-letter spellings for single consonants: ng represents the velar nasal /ŋ/ and wh represents /ɸ/. Each is one sound, not two letters pronounced separately.

verbal vs nominal sentences

Verbal sentences open with a tense particle plus verb, as in 'Kei te haere ia'. Nominal sentences open with ko, he, kei, or nō plus a noun phrase.