Tapu, Mana and the Māori Body: A Complete Guide·Glossary
Glossary & pronunciation
te reo Māori has five vowels — a, e, i, o, u — and the long vowel is marked with a macron (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū). The macron changes meaning; it is not decoration.
| Written | Pronounced |
|---|---|
| wh | f |
| ng | ng as in English “sing” — including at the start of a word |
| r | light, single-tap |
| t, p, k | without aspiration |
| Stress | generally on the first syllable |
Examples: Māori = MĀ-o-ri · whakapapa = fa-ka-PA-pa · whānau = FĀ-nau · wharenui = fa-re-NU-i · ngā = ngā · tangihanga = TA-ngi-ha-nga.