Te Reo Māori: Introduction to Pronunciation (FutureLearn)

This course from EduMaxi and Sharon Holt is built around a series of one-minute videos that will introduce you to Māori language pronunciation and give you the confidence needed to correctly pronounce common Māori words and phrases.
Discover the basics of te reo Māori pronunciation

You’ll start by breaking down Māori words into smaller chunks to learn the rules for vowels and consonants. With each vowel sound, you’ll practise using different words and phrases, from sit and work together to informal farewells.

Once you’ve learnt all of the vowel sounds, you’ll learn some more difficult examples with vowel blends.

Explore Māori words and place names from everyday vocabulary

Many Māori words appear in the everyday vocabulary of New Zealand so it’s important to understand their meanings and pronunciation. You’ll delve into these words before moving on to Māori greetings and their correct pronunciation.

By the end of this course, you’ll have the confidence to correctly use and pronounce place names, numbers, birds, and tree names, as well as greetings and common phrases in the Māori language.

Learn Māori with award-winning author Sharon Holt and EduMaxi

This course is delivered by Sharon Holt, award-winning author of 26 Te Reo Singalong books, which are used widely by teachers and children throughout New Zealand.

As a non-Māori who became a Māori language learner, Sharon understands the language learning process and breaks it into bite-sized chunks.

What topics will you cover?

- The why and how of Māori language learning

- Pronunciation of the vowels and consonants

- Use of macrons

- Place names, numbers, birds and tree names

- Phrases

- Greetings

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- recognise correct pronunciation of Māori words

- understand and use Māori greetings correctly

- understand the pronunciation of Māori words and place names that appear in our everyday vocabulary

- identify opportunities for more learning in this area

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone with an interest in learning the basics of the Māori language. It will be especially useful if you live in New Zealand or plan to travel to the country, either for work, study, or on holiday.