Have you ever tried counting in Māori and got stuck after tekau? Learning Māori numbers is not just plain memorizing digits. It’s about feeling the flow of the language, recognizing its patterns, and the word combinations that build as you go.
Ready to count in Māori? Let’s learn all about the numbers in Māori and confidently count in the language faster than you can say tekau mā rua!
Māori Numbers
If you think learning Māori numbers will be a headache, think again! Counting in Maori is highly logical. For the most part, you will be mastering, or at least familiarizing patterns and combinations.
But before you start with those patterns, let’s first master the numbers used for counting (cardinal numbers), starting with 1 to 10.
Numbers From 0 To 10
In Māori, every number from zero to ten has specific words attached to it, making it easier for association. Once you memorize these ten numbers, you will have already learned the core pieces that every other Māori number builds on.
| English | Māori | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| One | Tahi | tah-hee |
| Two | Rua | roo-ah |
| Three | Toru | toh-roo |
| Four | Whā | fah |
| Five | Rima | ree-mah |
| Six | Ono | oh-no |
| Seven | Whitu | fee-too |
| Eight | Waru | wah-roo |
| Nine | Iwa | ee-wah |
| Ten | Tekau | teh-koh |
The easiest way would be through a children’s song. But you can always find another way to memorize them quickly, depending on the language learning technique you find effective.
Counting Large Maori Numbers: Ten And Beyond
From the number 11 onwards, counting in Māori follows a basic pattern. To make it simpler, let’s divide these large numbers into categories.
Tens Are Built From Tekau
The Māori word for ten is tekau (teh-koh). To build the other tens, just put the number (aka multiplier digit except 10 itself) before it.
Number + tekau
| English | Māori | Pronunciation | Literal Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ten | Tekau | teh-koh | Base word for “ten” |
| Twenty | Rua tekau | roo-ah teh-koh | “Two tens” |
| Thirty | toru tekau | toh-roo teh-koh | “Three tens” |
| Forty | Whā tekau | fah teh-koh | “Four tens” |
| Fifty | Rima tekau | ree-mah teh-koh | “Five tens” |
| Sixty | Ono tekau | oh-no teh-koh | “Six tens” |
| Seventy | Whitu tekau | fee-too teh-koh | “Seven tens” |
| Eighty | Waru tekau | wah-roo teh-koh | “Eight tens” |
| Ninety | Iwa tekau | ee-wah teh-koh | “Nine tens” |
Once you have memorized tekau, you can start forming the compound Māori numbers. Just put another number after it, connecting it with the word mā, which means “and.”
Tekau + mā + cardinal Māori number
Let’s see the numbers from 11 to 19.
| English | Māori | Pronunciation | Literal Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eleven | Tekau mā tahi | teh-koh mah tah-hee | “Ten and one” |
| Twelve | Tekau mā rua | teh-koh mah roo-ah | “Ten and two” |
| Thirteen | Tekau mā toru | teh-koh mah toh-roo | “Ten and three” |
| Fourteen | Tekau mā whā | teh-koh mah fah | “Ten and four” |
| Fifteen | Tekau mā rima | teh-koh mah ree-mah | “Ten and five” |
| Sixteen | Tekau mā ono | teh-koh mah oh-no | “Ten and six” |
| Seventeen | Tekau mā whitu | teh-koh mah fee-too | “Ten and seven” |
| Eighteen | Tekau mā waru | teh-koh mah wah-roo | “Ten and eight” |
| Nineteen | Tekau mā iwa | teh-koh mah ee-wah | “Ten and nine” |
For the other tens, follow the same pattern for creating their compound number forms.
Examples:
- Rua tekau mā toru = 23 (Two tens and three)
- Whitu tekau mā whitu = 77 (Seven tens and seven)
Use Rau For Hundreds
If “tens” have tekau, the Māori word for “hundreds” is rau. Similar to how you create tens, you add the number as a prefix before rau.
Number + rau
Take note, though, that starting with the hundreds, you use kotahi instead of just tahi for “one.” This is because kotahi means “one and only,” giving the said number a more exact feel.
| English | Māori | Pronunciation | Literal Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| One hundred | Kotahi rau | koh-tah-hee roh | “One hundred” (Kotahi emphasizes exactly one) |
| Two hundred | Rua rau | roo-ah roh | “Two hundreds” |
| Three hundred | Toru rau | toh-roo roh | “Three hundreds” |
| Four hundred | Whā rau | fah roh | “Four hundreds” |
| Five hundred | Rima rau | ree-mah roh | “Five hundreds” |
| Six hundred | Ono rau | oh-no roh | “Six hundreds” |
| Seven hundred | Whitu rau | fee-too roh | “Seven hundreds” |
| Eight hundred | Waru rau | wah-roo roh | “Eight hundreds” |
| Nine hundred | Iwa rau | ee-wah roh | “Nine hundreds” |
And to create the compound numbers in the hundreds, this is the pattern to follow:
Rau + mā + cardinal Māori number
Examples:
- Kotahi rau tahi = 101 (One hundred one)
- Rua rau toru tekau mā whā = 234 (Two hundreds three tens and four)
Thousands And Beyond
The best part of Maori numbers is that counting in larger numbers is simple enough. Like in smaller numbers, you add a prefix before the Māori word for that large number.
For thousands, use the word mano.
Number + mano
| English | Māori | Pronunciation | Literal Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| One thousand | Kotahi mano | koh-tah-hee mah-noh | “One thousand” (Kotahi emphasizes exactly one) |
| Two thousand | Rua mano | roo-ah mah-noh | “Two thousands” |
| Three thousand | Toru mano | toh-roo mah-noh | “Three thousands” |
| Four thousand | Whā mano | fah mah-noh | “Four thousands” |
| Five thousand | Rima mano | ree-mah mah-noh | “Five thousands” |
| Six thousand | Ono mano | oh-no mah-noh | “Six thousands” |
| Seven thousand | Whitu mano | fee-too mah-noh | “Seven thousands” |
| Eight thousand | Waru mano | wah-roo mah-noh | “Eight thousands” |
| Nine thousand | Iwa mano | ee-wah mah-noh | “Nine thousands” |
It is even simpler to count larger Māori numbers.
| English | Māori | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Million | Miriona | mee-ree-oh-nah |
| Billion | Piriona | pee-ree-oh-nah |
Ordinal Numbers In Māori
If cardinal numbers are for counting and measurements, ordinal numbers refer to the positions in a sequence – first, second, third, etc.
But to form ordinal numbers in Māori, add the prefix tua to the basic numbers one through nine.
| English | Māori | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| First | Tuatahi | too-ah-tah-hee |
| Second | Tuarua Hēkona | too-ah roo-ah heh-koh-nah |
| Third | Tuatoru | too-ah-toh-roo |
| Fourth | Tuawhā | too-ah-fah |
| Fifth | Tuarima | too-ah-ree-mah |
| Sixth | Tuaono | too-ah-aw-noh |
| Seventh | Tuawhitu | too-ah-fee-too |
| Eight | Tuawaru | too-ah-wah-roo |
| Ninth | Tuaiwa | too-ah-ee-wah |
How Do You Say Number In Maori?
The Māori word for number is tau (toe). You can use this word to ask He aha tō tau?, which translates to, “What’s your number?”
But apart from tau referring to “number,” it also means “year” or “season,” showing how Māori words have meanings tied to time, the cycles, and their connection with nature.
Māori Numbers Vocabulary
If you’re traveling around New Zealand and get a chance to use your newly learned Māori numbers, here’s a little vocabulary list to help you out.
| English | Māori | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Tau | toe |
| One | Tahi | tah-hee |
| Two | Rua | roo-ah |
| Three | Toru | toh-roo |
| Four | Whā | fah |
| Five | Rima | ree-mah |
| Six | Ono | oh-no |
| Seven | Whitu | fee-too |
| Eight | Waru | wah-roo |
| Nine | Iwa | ee-wah |
| Ten | Tekau | teh-koh |
| Hundred | Rau | row |
| Thousand | Mano | mah-noh |
| First | Tuatahi | too-ah-tah-hee |
| Second | Tuarua | too-ah-roo-ah |
| Third | Tuatoru | too-ah-toh-roo |
Tips To Easily Count The Māori Way
If you love logic and structure above all else, Maori numbers will be one of your favorite things to learn in the language. After all, the way you say them follows a consistent pattern that makes counting surprisingly easy.
But to get to mastery levels of counting in Maori, here are some tips to make those numbers stick to memory and enjoy the process:
- Master the Basics First: By basics, it means mastering the Maori numbers 1 to 10 first, since they are the base for all the higher numbers in the language. Pay particular attention to how they are pronounced, especially with the vowels and the “wh” sound.
- Understand the Patterns: After ten, numbers in Maori are often combined with conjunctions in a specific pattern. For example, tekau mā rua (twelve) means “ten and two.” Once you understand this, everything will just click, like building blocks: master one section, and the rest build on top of it.
- Practice Pronunciation Slowly: Each of the vowels in the Māori alphabet is pronounced clearly and separately. Hence, you shouldn’t rush it, especially when dealing with the macrons. Getting the pronunciation right at the get-go will help you sound more natural and confident.
- Use Maori Songs to Learn: Music is one of the best ways to lock in the rhythm of a language, making pronunciation come more naturally for non-native speakers. There are plenty of catchy Maori children’s songs with counting as the focus, like Waiata Mai. You’ll soon find yourself humming those numbers in Maori in no time.
- Mix Māori and English Counting: Alternate between Māori and English when counting people or things to help build recall from both sides of your brain. This makes it easier to switch between languages smoothly over time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Māori Numbers
Did Māori Have A Number System?
Te Reo Māori did have a traditional number system. Research on pre-European Māori construction and architecture suggests that they organized measurements in groups of tens, utilizing a form of early decimal system. Although older sources claim they didn’t have an existing decimal system, the way the Māori people built their houses and their oral histories better support the premise that they had one in their culture.
How Do You Pronounce Māori Numbers?
Pronouncing Māori numbers 1 to 10 follows clear vowel sounds, with macrons indicating longer vowel sounds, and consistent rules for how the letters (“wh” as the English “f”) in their alphabet are pronounced. For example, tahi (tah-hee) for one, rua (roo-ah) for two, toru (toh-roo) for three, whā (fah, with a long ‘a’) for four, rima (ree-mah) for five, etc. For numbers 11 to 19, you combine tekau (ten) with the smaller numbers using mā (mah), meaning “and.” For example, tekau mā tahi (ten and one) for eleven, tekau mā rua (ten and two) for twelve, tekau mā toru (ten and three) for thirteen, etc.
How Did Māori Measure Time?
Though the Māori had an early system for numbers, they primarily measured time using natural and astronomical cycles, specifically through lunar phases. Their maramataka (traditional lunar calendar) tracks the phases of the moon to determine activities and time. Each lunar phase has a name and is closely tied to agricultural and fishing practices. Aside from that, they have a cyclical way of timekeeping (natural phenomena linked to seasonal changes) rather than using fixed chronological units.
Now You Can Count With Māori Numbers
Congratulations! You just cracked the code to learning the Māori numbers. From tahi to rau, you can rely on the predictable patterns to form them, which makes the process fun and practical.
But don’t stop just there. Practice with real-world examples (try the Ling app‘s Dialog feature) and combine them with the Māori phrases you have learned before. After all, the more you use Te Reo Māori, the faster it sticks.
Take Your Māori Learning Further With Ling!
Want to go beyond tahi, rua, and toru? With the Ling app, learning the Maori language is not only simple but also enjoyable. Apart from practicing Māori pronunciation, you can also expand your vocabulary and simulate real-life conversations with its Dialog feature.
With fun review features like Flashcards and My Vocabulary, you can easily go back to words and phrases that either caught your fancy or you frequently hear. And, even if you only have a few minutes a day to spare for studying, Ling’s interactive, bite-sized lessons keep you motivated to learn one more Maori word at a time.
What are you waiting for? Level up your Māori learning journey and download the Ling app today!
