Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

kōrero

1. (noun) (document) record.

kōrero

1. (verb) (-hia,-ngia,-tia) to tell, say, speak, read, talk, address.

Ko tētahi o ngā take nui o te Pāremata ināia tata nei, ko te tautohetohe o ngā mema mō te Paipera kia whakaaetia kia kōrerotia i roto i ngā kura Kāwanatanga o te motu (TTT 1/10/1927:695). / One of the important topics of Parliament recently was the members' debate concerning the Bible that it be allowed to be read in the public schools of the country.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: pānui, rīti, mea, pepeha, hamumu, wani, whakahua, kīkī, puaki,


2. (noun) speech, narrative, story, news, account, discussion, conversation, discourse, statement, information.

Ko tētahi kōrero i rongo anō mātou i te hui, ko te kōrero mō tētahi tikanga o nehe (HM 2/2009:10). / An account we heard at the conference was about a custom from ancient times.
Tā te rangatira tāna kai he kōrero, tā te ware he muhukai (NP 2001:362). / The chief's sustenance is discussion, but that of the commoner is inattention.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: pakiwaitara, kaute, whakamārama, pūtea moni, pire, rongorongo, pitopito kōrero, rongo, kawepūrongo

kōrero pono

1. (verb) (-hia,-ngia,-tia) to tell the truth, be honest, be truthful, speak the truth.

E kōrero pono ana au ki te aroaro o Te Atua (HP 1991:188). / I am telling the truth before God.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) true story, non-fiction writing, factual text.

Ko tēnei kōrero he kōrero pono kāore e taea te whakahē (HTK 5/8/1893:9). / This account is a true story that can't be contradicted.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: pono

whakawhitinga kōrero

1. (noun) dialogue, discussion.

Hau ana tōna rongo i roto i te ao Māori mō ngā whakawhitinga kōrero i waenganui i a rāua (TTR 1996:185). / Her fame spread in the Māori world about the dialogue between the two of them.

Show example

Hide example

tuku kōrero

1. (verb) to make a submission, submit, give evidence.

I tuku kōrero whakamārama a Te Hāpuku mō ētahi o ngā take (TTR 1990:181). / Te Hāpuku gave evidence for a few cases.

Show example

Hide example

kōrero tohutohu

1. (verb) to give instruction, advise.

Ka kōrero tohutohu au i ngā hōia nei, kia tūpato i ngā wā katoa (HP 1991:147). / I advised these soldiers to be cautious at all times.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) instruction, advice.

Māku hei whakamutu aku kōrero tohutohu i muri o te kai (TTT 1/11/1926:498). / I will finish my instructions after the meal.

Show example

Hide example

kōrero teka

1. (verb) to tell lies, perjure.

Ki te makere mai ēnei kupu i te waha o te tangata, e whakaatu ana i te whakaaro o taua tangata kei te kōrero teka, kei te rūkahu tētahi atu (HKK 1999:64). / If these words are uttered by someone, it reveals that person's opinion that someone else is telling lies.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) perjury, falsehood, untruth, lie, fabrication.

He tangata au e hurahura ana i ngā pukapuka o te kōti whenua, ā, kua kitea e au ngā kōrero teka a ngā tāngata kua riro noa atu ki te kōpū o te whenua. Kua ngaro atu rātou ko ā rātou kōrero teka ia kei te ora tonu (TTT 1/8/1925:278). / I am someone who delves into the books of the land court and I have discovered the lies of the people who have been buried a long time ago. They have gone but their falsehoods continue to live.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: oati teka, papahu, tahupera, rūkahu, whakateka, teka, tito, tipatipa, tīpapa, kōrero parau, kēā, hori, pūkei, rūpahu, takoto, hāwatewate, pūkai, paraparau, patu taringa, horihori

whānako kōrero

1. (verb) to plagiarise.

Ki te whānako kōrero koe i ngā tuhituhinga a tētahi atu tangata, he hara nui tēnā. Ki te hiahia koe ki te unu i te whakaaro, i ngā kupu rānei a tētahi atu, me mātua whakamōhio atu nā wai aua kōrero i tuhituhi. / If you plagiarise the writings of someone else that is a major sin. If you wish to take an idea or the words of someone else, it must be acknowledged who wrote those words.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) plagarism.

He ture tā te whare wānanga mō te whānako kōrero, arā te tāhae i ngā whakaaro, i ngā kupu rānei, mai i te ipurangi, i ngā tuhinga rānei ā tētahi atu tangata. / The university has rules for plagarism, that is the theft of ideas or words from the Internet or writings of someone else.

Show example

Hide example

putunga kōrero

1. (noun) corpus - collection of writings, texts, spoken material, etc.

Kua kohikohia he putunga kōrero reo Māori e Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. / The Māori Language Commission has collected a corpus of Māori language texts.

Show example

Hide example

kōrero takuahi

1. (noun) statement lacking authority, rumour, speculation.

He kōrero takuahi noa rā pea - kaua e whakapono mārire atu (HJ 2015:37). / It's probably just speculation - don't actually believe it.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: waha kau, tara, wawara, kōhimuhimu, kohimu, kōhumuhumu, tūtara

whakamōmona kōrero

1. (verb) to exaggerate, embellish (a story, etc.).

He tino kē hoki te koroua rā ki te whakamōmona kōrero (HJ 2012:38). / That elderly man is really great at exaggerating stories.

Show example

Hide example

whakahoki kōrero

1. (verb) to answer back, backchat.

E tama, kāti te whakahoki kōrero. / Son, stop answering back.

Show example

Hide example


2. (verb) to provide feedback.

Ka pōtingia a Te Keepa ki tētehi kaunihera Māori kia riro māna hei āta tirotiro ngā ture e pā ana ki te Māori, hei kawe whakaaro ki te kāwanatanga, hei whakahoki kōrero mai ki ngā iwi (TTR 1990:274). / Te Keepa was elected to a Māori council, and it was for him to scrutinise legislation affecting Māori, to influence the government, and to provide feedback to tribes.

Show example

Hide example

whakarongo kōrero

1. (verb) to listen in on someone else's conversation, eavesdrop.

E hine, kāti te whakarongo kōrero. / Girl, stop eavesdropping.

Show example

Hide example

kōrero koremana

1. (noun) invalid statement.

kōrero tōtika

1. (noun) accurate statement.

kōrero whaitake

1. (noun) sensible statement, valid statement.

tāiringa kōrero

1. (noun) conjecture.

tāpaetanga kōrero

1. (noun) assertion, contention.

Ko te tāpaetanga kōrero te whakatakoto i tētahi whakaaro mō tētahi kaupapa, engari karekau he taunakitanga hei tautoko i taua whakaaro. Mā te whakahaere i tētahi tūhuratanga tauanga e kitea ai te tika, te hē rānei o te tāpaetanga kōrero (TRP 2010:252). / Assertion is making a statement about a particular topic without the support of evidence. A statistical investigation can be carried out to show whether an assertion is true or false (TRP 2010:252).

Show example

Hide example

hopu kōrero

1. (noun) dictaphone.

kōrero rākau

1. (verb) to think aloud, talk to oneself.

Whakarongo ki te koroua e kōrero rākau ana. Kua keka pea ia. / Listen to the elderly man talking to himself. Perhaps he's deranged.

Show example

Hide example

Te Kākano 3rd Edition

New edition of the leading Māori-language textbook out now.

More info

The App

Te Aka Māori Dictionary is also available as an iOS and Android app. Download below.

iOS Android

The Book

Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary and Index by John C Moorfield comprises a selection of modern and everyday language that will be extremely useful for learners of the Māori language.

More info

He Pātaka Kupu

Te kai a te rangatira

He Pātaka Kupu is a monolingual Māori language dictionary, and was designed using its own culturally authentic terms.

Visit website

00:00