New Zealand / Te Ao Māori

Tell your kids they're clever in Māori

10:35 am on 5 July 2016

It's the second day - Rātū - of Te Wiki o te reo Māori. RNZ's Māori Issues correspondent Mihingarangi Forbes is answering listeners' Te Reo Māori questions on Morning Report each day during Māori Language Week.

Today she gave some tips on how to talk to children:

Around the whare

Kei whea koe e Māmā? Where are you Mum?

Kei whea te ngēru? Where's the cat?

Kei waho te ngeru - The cat's outside

Kei runga i te moenga - On the bed.

Simple sayings

Let's go - Me haere tāua (tāua means me and you).

Katia te kuaha, koa - Close the door please.

Waiho tēnā -Leave that.

Aua hoki - I don't know.

Kaua e pēnā - Don't do that.

Praise

Kātahi te kōtiro koi, ko koe - You're pretty clever alright.

Ae kei te tika tera mahi - That's correct.

Āe Mārika - For sure, yes indeed.

Ka pai kōtiro - Well done.

Tino harikoa a Pāpā ki ōu mahi - I'm really happy with what you've done.

"It is about extending the language" - Mihingarangi Forbes