Tips for using te reo Māori in the workplace
How to use te reo Māori words and phrases at work – in emails, during meetings, around the office and beyond.
Quick take
- There are a range of books and online resources to help you and your team embrace Māori language and culture.
- You can start small by using te reo Māori during meetings or in written communications.
- Installing bilingual signage around the office is a great way to familiarise your team with te reo Māori terms.
By Hayden Maskell
Whether you’re looking to embed Māori culture into your workplace, or you simply want to grow your understanding of what your colleagues are saying, brushing up on your te reo Māori (Māori language) knowledge is a worthwhile undertaking for anyone working in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Embracing te reo Māori is about more than language, says Heidi Rosser, CA ANZ’s New Zealand manager, inclusive culture – and it’s important to consider your motivations and the context for learning.
“My most important piece of advice: focus on an inclusive culture from the outset and align to your organisation’s strategy,” she says. “Be clear on your why.”
Rosser recommends learning te reo Māori in the context of te ao Māori (the Māori world), including tikanga (protocols and customs), as well as some Aotearoa history. Celebrating key events during the year can also spark a deeper engagement.
“Focus on Te Rā o Waitangi [Waitangi Day], Matariki [Māori New Year] and Te Wiki o te Reo Māori [Māori Language Week] as springboards for a wider ongoing program, not just ‘oncers’,” she recommends.
Neal McDiarmid, CA ANZ’s regional manager for the Central North Island, agrees and says the best way to learn is with a cohort.
“From a te ao Māori perspective, it’s not just the actual content that you’re learning – it’s actually about each other,” he says.
McDiarmid’s team administers CA ANZ’s eight-week Te Ao Māori Language, Customary Practices and Values online workshop series, which explores the importance of te reo Māori, as well as pronunciation and key phrases when working in a Māori context.
“While the learning provides te reo development and tikanga, you discover a lot from each other along with whakawhanaunga (building connections with each other) throughout the course,” says McDiarmid.
Simple steps
Simple greetings and phrases like ‘kia ora’ (hello) and ‘ka pai tō mahi’ (good work) are great places to start, and there are plenty of guides and resources to help you feel comfortable with the basics.
For McDiarmid, the easiest way to start using te reo Māori at work is by talking to colleagues.
“I include a small amount of te reo within my correspondence, from saying hello … and checking in on people’s wellbeing, or how they are feeling for the day,” he says.
Over time, McDiarmid has developed his skill and confidence to use te reo in more formal contexts.
“Now I use karakia [a ritual chant to unify a gathering] and mihi [a greeting] to open meetings where appropriate and welcome people to events,” he says. “That’s taken a bit of a while to get to that point for me, but I think it’s important to embrace it and include that in daily communications, whether it be email or verbal as well.”
To encourage uptake at work, Rosser suggests using bilingual signage (with both Māori and English words), which helps to familiarise you and your team with everyday words.
“Consider bilingual signage around the office, such as labels on cupboards, meeting-room signs or bathrooms,” she suggests.
Another option is to use bilingual place names in all your organisation’s communications – though make sure you have an up-to-date map to help with this.
Te reo Māori resources
There is a wealth of easily accessible resources that can help you increase your te reo knowledge, including the online Te Aka Māori Dictionary, Scotty Morrison’s books and KŌRA MBIE, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Māori Cultural Intelligence app.
McDiarmid says accessing books and online tools is a great way to build your confidence with vocabulary and pronunciation. All it requires is some time set aside for practice.
“I remember through COVID, I managed to achieve that really well,” he says. “[I] blocked out the morning for 30 minutes and that was part of my routine, making it how I started the day.”
Along with the Te Aka Māori Dictionary, Rosser suggests keeping a stack of Morrison’s Māori at Work in the office or gifting a copy to employees during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.
Be mindful of te reo Māori use
When using te reo Māori at work, Rosser says it’s important to always consider the context of the message and the meaning you want to get across.
If you’re using te reo Māori email greetings and sign-offs, for example, consider the content that sits in between. Beginning with a cheery ‘kia ora’ and signing off with ‘ngā mihi nui’ (thank you) in an email about someone’s poor performance would not be appropriate.
Another tip concerns tohutō: the macrons that signify long vowel sounds.
“Words can take on very different meanings with and without the tohutō!” says Rosser.
How to expand your te reo Māori knowledge
1. Take a course
• CA ANZ’s eight-week online Te Ao Māori Language, Customary Practices and Values wānanga (higher learning), provided by Tira. Email: [email protected] to join the waitlist for February and/or May 2025 intakes.
• Reo Whairawa runs the annual Kura Reo Pakihi (Language School for Business) noho marae (overnight marae stay) – an unforgettable experience for everyone who has attended, including many CAs.
• Kōtihi Reo Consultants run online te reo Māori classes for all levels.
• Search online for free introductory classes for individuals run by wānanga and universities.
2. Start small
• Use Māori greetings in social interactions.
• Embrace bilingual signage in the office (and at home).
• Use bilingual place names across your organisation.
3. Use books, apps and digital resources
• Kōra Māori Cultural Intelligence app, available at Google Play and the App Store
• Māori at Work, by Scotty Morrison
• CA ANZ’s Ko Te Reo Māori Mō Ngā Pakihi (Māori Language for Business) printable pocket guide
Useful te reo Māori words and expressions
CA ANZ has created a printable Ko Te Reo Māori Mō Ngā Pakihi (Māori Language for Business) pocket guide, which you can download here. Here are some words and expressions to know.
Email greetings:
Kia ora – Greeting to one person
Kia ora, e te whānau! – Hi team!
Kia ora kōrua – Greeting to two people
Kia ora koutou – Greeting to a group
Email sign-offs:
Nāku noa, nā – Yours sincerely
Ngā mihi – Regards
Ngā mihi nui – Many thanks
Ngā mihi manahau – Warm regards
Ngā manaakitanga – Best wishes
Noho ora mai rā – Take care
Hei āpōpō! – Until tomorrow!
Kia pai te rā! – Have a good day!
Kia pai ngā rā whakatā – Have a good weekend!
Other useful words:
Pakihi – Business
Tari – Office
Hui – Meeting
Hui ā-ipurangi – Online meeting
Kōrero – Discussion
Īmēra – Email
