n • intermediate
kaiako
teacher (school context)
kye-ah-koh
Kei te kōrero te kaiako.
The teacher is speaking.
✦ TE REO MĀORI ✦
🎓 School and Work
23 words and phrases for focused te reo Māori practice.
School and Work vocabulary
Pick a word card below to practise the Māori word, meaning, pronunciation and example sentence.
Vocabulary
schoolkuraeducationclassroom
n • intermediate
ākonga
student (school context)
aa-koh-ngah
He ākonga pai ia.
She is a good student.
n • intermediate
tumuaki
principal
too-moo-ah-kee
Kei te tari te tumuaki.
The principal is in the office.
n • intermediate
kaimahi
worker (school / workplace context)
kye-mah-hee
He kaimahi pukumahi ia.
He is a hardworking worker.
n • intermediate
hui
meeting / gathering (school context)
hoo-ee
He hui ā mātou āpōpō.
We have a meeting tomorrow.
n • intermediate
akoranga
lesson
ah-koh-rah-ngah
Kei te tīmata te akoranga.
The lesson is beginning.
n • intermediate
mahi kāinga
homework
mah-hee kaa-ee-ngah
Kua oti āku mahi kāinga.
My homework is finished.
n • intermediate
whakamātautau
test
fah-kah-maa-tow-tow
He whakamātautau āpōpō.
There is a test tomorrow.
n • intermediate
tari
office (school context)
tah-ree
Kei te tari te kaiako.
The teacher is in the office.
n • intermediate
hui ā-kura
assembly
hoo-ee aa-koo-rah
Kei te whare hui te hui ā-kura.
The school assembly is in the hall.
n • intermediate
pūtaiao
science (school subject)
poo-tie-ah-oh
Ko te pūtaiao taku kaupapa ako tino pai.
Science is my favourite school subject.
n • intermediate
pāngarau
mathematics (school subject)
paa-ngah-row
He uaua ki a au te pāngarau.
Mathematics is difficult for me.
n • intermediate
hītori
history
hee-toh-ree
He pai ki a ia te hītori.
She likes history.
n • intermediate
matawhenua
geography
mah-tah-feh-noo-ah
Ko te matawhenua tōna kaupeka.
Geography is her subject.
n • intermediate
puoro
music subject
poo-oh-roh
He akoranga puoro tāna.
She has a music lesson.
n • intermediate
ngā mahi toi
art subject
ngaa mah-hee toy
He pai ki a ia ngā mahi toi.
She likes art.
n • intermediate
kaiwhakahaere
coordinator, manager
kye-fah-kah-hah-eh-reh
Ko ia te kaiwhakahaere o te kura.
She is the school coordinator.
n • intermediate
whakangungu
training, practice
fah-kah-ngoo-ngoo
Kei te whakangungu ngā ākonga.
The students are training.
n • intermediate
wā okioki
break time
waa oh-kee-oh-kee
Kei te wā okioki ngā tamariki.
The children are at break time.
n • intermediate
kaupapa
topic, subject
kow-pah-pah
He aha te kaupapa o te akoranga?
What is the topic of the lesson?
n • beginner
akoranga
lesson / class
ah-koh-rah-ngah
He pai te akoranga.
The lesson is good.
n • beginner
whakamātautau
exam / test
fah-kah-maa-tow-tow
Kei te whakamātautau mātou āpōpō.
We have a test tomorrow.
n • beginner
mahi kāinga
homework
mah-hee kaa-ee-ngah
Me mahi te mahi kāinga.
You must do the homework.