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How to improve your spoken reo - Idioms
16 September 2026

How to improve your spoken reo - Idioms

A Maori Podcast

About

Whakatauki: Kei Hawaiki noa atu ahau e noho atu - I am sitting away off at Hawaiki. (Said by a person to indicate they are far away in thought. [Murdoch Riley, Maori Sayings and Proverbs, 1-17]


Vocab:

Mataahi - food prepared on a spit. [https://www.dictionary.maori.nz/mataahi]

Matainaina - Desire: Taku matainaina atu ki te mea a te tangata ra. - My desire is towards the thing within that person's possesion. [https://www.dictionary.maori.nz/matainaina]

Idioms:

He aha te aha - Waste of time / Nothing came of it. [https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/1013]

Hei aha atu - Forget about it / Don't worry about it. [https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/1024]

Ko tāua tāua - Likewise / You and me both. [https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/3116]

Hangareka ana - What a crack up! [https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/48206]

Kua puta a Pito - I'm stuffed / I'm full [https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/11059]


Kia ora ra e te iwi! I have a Patreon where I hope to add some additional value. If you'd like the kaupapa, and you appreciate this mahi, you can give a koha here:

A Maori Podcast