Te Reo Māori: The Basics Explained

by David Karena-Holmes

The use of te reo Māori in daily New Zealand life is snowballing, as is demand for resources to make learning the language efficient and enjoyable. This book helps answer that demand.

Here in simple terms is a thorough guide to the building blocks of grammar in te reo, showing how to create phrases, sentences and paragraphs.

After an introductory chapter on pronunciation and written forms of the language, 17 chapters introduce the main base words, particles and determiners that guide their use. The book employs real-life examples to illustrate how Māori grammar works day to day.

Te Reo Mā The Basics Explained draws on David Karena-Holmes’ decades of experience teaching and writing about Māori language. Building on his previous works, this updated and expanded approach will be an essential companion for speakers at any level.

Genres: Linguistics, Nonfiction

168 pages, Hardcover

Published September 30, 2020

Reviews

[Katherine]

I wouldn't suggest this as someone's introduction to te reo, but it's helpful for people who like to think about grammar.

I love this: "Whether or not the original reasoning underlying the a/o distinction can be determined, however, does not mean the distinction is without value today.
Indeed, it could be of great value, in terms of (say) transforming social justice and our impact on the environment, if it were agreed by all in our society that land, for instance, or fresh water or even means of transport, could not be 'owned' and privately controlled in the same way as smaller, portable possessions" (p.128).

[Wendy Bamber]

Very useful book for learners of the language, understanding some very basic concepts, and then very quickly some quite complicated ones. I didn’t finish it as it got well beyond my level of competence, but I will remember it and go back to it as I learn more.

[Natasha]

As a current student of te reo Māori, this is a very good reference book to have on my bookshelf if I have any pātai. The language is also easy to understand. I can see I will reference it a lot, but is definitely based around the basic phrases and structures.

[Stark]

FINALLY this is what I needed to know. Māori sentences are built totally differently from English ones and I needed the big picture on how they work, I feel like my study will go much better now.

[Lafargue]

A short (~160 pages), very engaging overview of te reo Māori grammar. I'm an extreme beginner in te reo, so I can't speak to how accurate or well-judged the book's advice is, but I found it extremely lucid and clarifying - by far the most helpful text I've looked at in trying to get a feel for the 'logic' of the language.

[Robbo]

I didn't find this book very basic, despite the title, but it was extremely good. It details all the small, hence 'basic' words, that make up the most sentences in Maori. I will certainly be re-reading this as it explains these basics very well.