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Most Common Cook Islands Māori Words
Māori Kūki ʻĀirani
Essential Cook Islands Māori vocabulary with pronunciation guides. Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Nouns
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| tangata | person | ta-NGA-ta |
| aine | woman | AI-ne |
| tamaiti | child | ta-MAI-ti |
| oire | village / town | OI-re |
| are | house | A-re |
| vai | water | VAI |
| kai | food | KAI |
| ra | sun / day | RA |
| po | night | PO |
| maunga | mountain | MAU-nga |
| moana | ocean / sea | mo-A-na |
| enua | land / country | e-NU-a |
| akau | shore / coast | a-KAU |
| ngakau | heart / mind | nga-KAU |
| reo | language / voice | RE-o |
| inangaro | love / desire | i-na-NGA-ro |
| atua | god / spirit | a-TU-a |
| ua | rain | U-a |
| matagi | wind | ma-TA-gi |
| ika | fish | I-ka |
Verbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| aere | to go | a-E-re |
| kai | to eat | KAI |
| inu | to drink | I-nu |
| moe | to sleep | MO-e |
| oraora | to live | o-ra-O-ra |
| akaaro | to think | a-ka-A-ro |
| kite | to see / find | KI-te |
| rongo | to hear / feel | RO-ngo |
| korero | to speak / talk | ko-RE-ro |
| inangaro | to love / want | i-na-NGA-ro |
| aravei | to meet | a-ra-VEI |
| tano | to work | TA-no |
| muri | to follow | MU-ri |
| akatika | to correct / fix | a-ka-TI-ka |
| akaoti | to finish / end | a-ka-O-ti |
| akamata | to begin / start | a-ka-MA-ta |
| apai | to bring / carry | a-PAI |
| akaaro | to plan / think | a-ka-A-ro |
| tuatua | to say / speak | tu-a-TU-a |
| akairo | to mark / sign | a-ka-I-ro |
Adjectives
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| nui | big / great | NU-i |
| iti | small / little | I-ti |
| pai | good | PAI |
| kino | bad | KI-no |
| ou | new | OU |
| taito | old | TAI-to |
| ma | white / clean | MA |
| uri | dark / black | U-ri |
| vari | dirty | VA-ri |
| tika | right / correct | TI-ka |
| roa | long / tall | RO-a |
| poto | short | PO-to |
| teitei | high / tall | tei-TEI |
| arero | flat / low | a-RE-ro |
| maro | hard / firm | MA-ro |
| ngaoro | soft | nga-O-ro |
| vevetu | fast | ve-VE-tu |
| turori | slow | tu-RO-ri |
| hanere | beautiful | ha-NE-re |
| ingaingai | tired / weak | i-ngai-NGAI |
Adverbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| inapo | yesterday | i-NA-po |
| aianei | now / today | ai-a-NEI |
| apopo | tomorrow | a-PO-po |
| ka mua | before / first | ka MU-a |
| ka muri | after / later | ka MU-ri |
| konei | here | ko-NEI |
| reira | there | rei-RA |
| ano | again / also | A-no |
| kore | not / no | KO-re |
| ae | yes | A-e |
| nui ake | more / very much | NUI a-ke |
| iti ake | less | I-ti a-ke |
| pera | like that / so | PE-ra |
| penei | like this | pe-NEI |
| ka mau | always | ka MAU |
| akera | then / thus | a-KE-ra |
| tikanga | perhaps / maybe | ti-KA-nga |
| koia | indeed / really | ko-IA |
| tei reira | over there | tei rei-RA |
| i teia | in this / here | i TE-ia |