How To Respond To Kia Ora

Kia / By

A wonderful place to start is by learning the fundamental Mori greetings (mihi). Anywhere in New Zealand you use them, you’ll probably get a big smile in return.

How do you say hello in Mori?

  • Hello, or “Kia ora”
  • Mrena – Happy morning!
  • Tn koe – Good morning, one person
  • Kia ora/Tna krua – Good morning, two.
  • Hello everyone! Kia ora ttou/kia ora koutou
  • I’m happy to see you. Tn koutou (said to three or more people)
  • Greetings: Nau mai, haere mai
  • Kei te Phoe Koe? What’s up?
  • Kei te pai: Excellent
  • Tino pai: Excellent

How do you say goodbye in Mori?

  • Ka kite an, or good bye.
  • M te w – I’ll see you later.
  • Haere r – Bye-bye/goodbye (said to someone leaving)
  • Hello, Kona r – Farewell (said to someone staying)

How do you say thank you in Mori?

  • Kia ora is a greeting that can also be used to show gratitude in general.
  • The Mori words for “thank you” are tn koe (to one person), tn krua (to two people), and tn koutou (to three or more persons).

Is saying kia ora impolite?

Kia ora can be used to greet someone, show appreciation, offer love, and establish a connection.

The native Mori language is the source of the friendly and welcoming greeting known as “kia ora,” which is used often throughout New Zealand.

What does kia ora mean?

Kia ora, in its most basic form, says greeting. But because it makes a reference to life and health, “kia ora” is more than just a simple greeting.

More than merely a passing greeting, these two words have deeper meanings. The word “ora” literally means “to live” or “to be alive.” By adding “kia,” it is transformed from a noun to a verb, becoming “living” instead of “alive”. As a result, when you say “kia ora” to someone, you are wishing them life itself.

When should you say kia ora?

In New Zealand, the informal greeting kia ora is used. Everyone uses it in everyday discourse, from the prime minister to the neighborhood shopkeeper.

Use kia ora as a greeting or farewell, to express gratitude, to express support, or to convey a warm “cheers.” Kia ora can be used to start an email or answer the phone.

It’s crucial to express gratitude to others. By saying “Kia Ora,” we acknowledge not only them but also everything about them, including who and from where they are.

How do you define kia ora?

You can say “kia ora” to someone to wish them good health.

When employed as a noun, the word ora denotes “life, health, and energy.”

[4] It can also be used as a greeting, a good-bye, or a thank-you.

[5] Given that it comes from a society that values oratory, it can also be used to indicate agreement with a speaker during a meeting. Along with other, more formal Mori welcomes, it is frequently used. It is one of the 100 Mori words that every New Zealander should know, according to the NZ History website run by the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage, which provides the following definition: “Good day! (generally accepted salutation) “. [3]

In order to address several distinct exact quantities of persons, kia ora can use a similar technique. It can be used to address any number of individuals on its own, but by adding koe (also known as kia ora koe), krua, and koutou, one can designate a greeting to one, two, or three or more people, respectively. [6] Similarly, by ending a sentence with ttou, one addresses everyone in the room, including the speaker. [7]

Maori Language Terms

Te Reo, another official language of New Zealand, is a bilingual nation. Even though it’s not as common as English, you might hear some of these words mentioned in a conversation.

Not sure how to say or pronounce these words? Obtain this free Maori pronunciation guide by clicking here.

Describe Ka Pai.

There are fewer letters (just five vowels and ten consonants) in the Mori alphabet than there are in the English alphabet, but there are numerous ways to express things, and certain accents atop letters can give one word multiple meanings. It all comes down to pronunciation. For instance, the word keke, which means “cake,” actually means “armpit,” because to its lengthy vowels!

A fantastic tune to learn them is A Haka Manaan is a fun and simple approach to learn how to pronounce the Mori vowels.

W’s can be hard because they are often pronounced loudly in words like waka, a Mori boat. However, the h softens the w to sound like a fa sound when it is present in a word like wharenui (meeting house).

Try these wonderful everyday words:

Thank you

used to say “hey” or “hello” informally Happy mai! Please come in. Thank you. Tn koehello (to a single person). Tn kruahello (to two people). Tn koutouhello (to more than two persons). Haka War dance or the mori dance Hongi the Mori courtesy of pressing one’s noses together Ka pai excellent or well-done Kara kiaPrayer Rangatira foremost, respected TneHusband is a male. Wahine feminine, female, wife, WaiataSong

Additionally, we advise you to check at Te Akaa’s extensive Online Mori dictionary. Download their App for rapid translations when you can’t be online; it’s especially helpful if you visit a Marae or Pa on a class trip or during a vacation. Learning about Mori culture and using their language is wonderful.

Have you studied or attempted the Mori language? Please share your experiences with us in the comments section.

Describe Ka kite.

Ano Ka Kite (See you tomorrow) Although this is typically noted as inappropriate language, local TV presenters and newscasters frequently say “ka kite ano” when wishing their viewers farewell. Keep this one in the back of your mind for future use because it might come up in regular interactions with Kiwis.

How to Pronounce Te Reo Mori

Five vowel sounds in Te Reo Mori are pronounced differently from their English equivalents:

  • (Think “a” as in “vehicle”)
  • “e” (pronounced “egg”)
  • I (pronounced I as in “tee”)
  • (O, as in “four”)
  • u (pronounced “u” as in “to”)

There are both long and short vowels. A macron is placed over a long vowel to denote it (or sometimes when written twiceeg. whnau or whaanau).

For instance:

  • a, papa (short vowel) (earth)
  • , pp (long vowel) (father)

Te Reo Mori contains eight consonants that resemble their English equivalents in sound: h, k, m, n, p, r, t, and w.

Additionally, the consonant sequences wh and ng produce a different sound when combined.

The Te Reo ng sound is comparable to the English ng sound found in words like “sing.” However, that sound can really begin a Mori word.

Te Reo Mori Greetings

  • Thank you a kind salutation to onehello. It can also be used to connect with others, communicate affection, show appreciation, or express gratitude. It literally means to wish someone else the essence of life. Or you may say kia ora e hoa (hello friend).
  • Tn koeA formal good morning to one.
  • Kia ora koutou
  • a kind greeting to three or more individuals
  • hi. Additionally, you might say kia ora koutou e te whnau (hello to a familiar group of people).
  • Tn koutouGood day, a formal salutation for three or more individuals.
  • Mrena
  • Happy morning.
  • A. T. M.
  • Happy morning.
  • Have a great day. Kia pai.
  • P mrie
  • Good night.
  • Welcome! Nau mai, haere mai
  • M te wUntil then.
  • See you, Ka kite (an) (again).
  • There, good bye (said to someone leaving by the person who is staying).
  • E noho rAdios (said to someone staying by the person leaving).
  • Ng mihi (often used to end emails and letters) Regards/Thanks
  • Ng mihimaiohaRegards, and many regards.
  • With sincere affection, adios. lots of love
  • Noho ora maiBest wishes.

Question Time in Te Reo

  • Is that right, sir? What’s up? when addressing a single person. Say kei te phea krua for two persons and kei te phea koutou for three.
  • Good luck.
  • Kei te paiGood, fine.
  • Inos pai
  • really good
  • Fantastic, just great.
  • Fantastic, amazing, Ka mau te wehi!
  • Too much of you! a slang expression for eagerness.

Te Reo Mori Words About People

  • A family unit or large family is a whnau. A way to refer to a variety of persons (in a familiar manner).
  • TngataPeople.
  • husband, men, TneMan
  • WahineWoman, wife, female Whine (plural).
  • TamarikiChildren.
  • MokoGrandchild.
  • grandparents and Tpuna ancestors.
  • European citizens.
  • HapPregnant.
  • I am a friend.
  • IwiTribe. Additionally, a sizable number of people shared an ancestor.
  • Whakawhanaungatanga
  • forming connections with others and communicating with them.

What does “hi” mean in Kiwi?

  • The customary greeting for complete strangers is a handshake. To convey confidence, it should be forceful and accompanied by eye contact.
  • A light chuckle at the formality of handshakes during introductions may come from New Zealanders.
  • The degree of a physical greeting depends on how comfortable the other person is with you.
  • When welcoming someone they know, some people give them a hug. Close friends might also give each other cheek kisses as a greeting, while others would only nod.
  • “An informal way to say “hello” and “thank you,” kia ora (Key-or-rah) can also be used to express acknowledgment.
  • “Tn koe” (pronounced “Teh-nah kweh”) is a formal salutation,
  • A formal greeting for two people is called tn krua (Teh-nah cor-roo-ah), and “A three-person or more formal greeting is called tn koutou (Teh-nah co-toe).
  • Mori traditionally use the hongi to welcome one another. This involves two persons holding each other’s heads while squeezing their noses and foreheads together and inhaling at the same time to share the same moment and breath. This particular salutation is typically saved for official Mori occasions.
  • When visitors arrive, the Mori also have a pwhiri welcoming ceremony. This involves a customary test to determine whether visitors are allies or enemies, which is typically followed by a call to welcome, speeches, and musical selections.