He aratohu whakahua i te reo Māori: He pepa mā te kairīpoata

Dr Vincent Olsen-Reeder · 5 min read · 2026-08-29

Why This Matters

For New Zealand journalists, mispronouncing te reo Māori is not just a linguistic error — it is a breach of professional responsibility. In an era where te reo Māori is an official language and its usage in media is both expected and increasing, accuracy in pronunciation directly impacts credibility, cultural respect, and audience trust. This guide is designed for newsrooms that need a practical, quick-reference resource grounded in real- world broadcasting experience.

At Tārake, we have been working on this too, refining our daily AI bulletin to ensure every macron, diphthong, and consonant cluster is delivered with precision. This guide distills that experience into actionable advice for journalists, producers, and editors who want to get it right every time.

The Foundation: Vowels and Macrons

Te reo Māori has five vowel sounds, each of which can be short or long. The length of a vowel changes the meaning of a word, and in journalism, where clarity is paramount, getting this wrong can lead to misunderstanding or, worse, offence.

Short vs. Long Vowels

Letter	Short Sound	Long Sound (with macron)	Example (Short)	Example (Long)
A	ah	ah-ah	atua (god)	āpōpō (tomorrow)
E	eh	ee	eha (to breathe)	ētahi (some)
I	ee	ee-ee	ika (fish)	īnā (then)
O	aw	or	oro (mouth)	ōraita (orator)
U	oo	oo-ooh	uru (to enter)	ū (breast)

Journalist Tip: Macrons (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) are not optional. They are as critical as the difference between "there" and "their" in English. In broadcasting, omitting a macron can turn kākā (big brown parrot) into kaka (comfy clothes), or pātū (a fence) into patu (a short club weapon).

Audio Clip: Listen to the difference between mana (prestige) and how its commonly pronounced incorrectly as māna (a different word)

Diphthongs: The Gliding Vowels

Diphthongs are combinations of two vowel sounds pronounced as a single syllable. Māori has lots of diphthongs, and they are a common source of mispronunciation in newsrooms.

Diphthong	Sound	Example	Common Mispronunciation	Correct Pronunciation
ai	eye	Aotearoa	Ah-oh-teh-ah-oh-ah	Ah-oh-teh-ah-roh-ah
au	ow	Tauranga	Tah-oo-ran-gah	Tow-ran-gah
ea	eh-ah	Te Atatū	Tee Ah-tah-too	Teh Ah-tah-too
ei	ay	Whare	Fah-reh	Wah-reh
eu	eh-oo	Te Reo	Tee Reh-oh	Teh Reh-oh
ia	ee-ah	Tiaki	Tee-ah-kee	Tee-ah-kee
io	ee-oh	Whio	Fee-oh	Fee-oh
ou	oh-oo	Pou	Poh-oo	Poh-oo

Journalist Tip: The diphthong ao in Aotearoa is often mispronounced as "Ow-teh-row-ah." The correct pronunciation glides from each vowel to the next in a single mora. Practice this with Waitangi (Wa-i-ta-ngi) and Kaiti (Ka-i-ti).

Audio Clip: Hear the correct pronunciation of Aotearoa

The "Wh" Dilemma: To F or Not to F

The digraph wh is one of the most varied sounds in te reo Māori dialect. In some regions, it is pronounced like the English "f," while in others, it is a bilabial fricative (a sound made by pressing both lips together and blowing air through them). For journalists, the key is consistency and respect for regional variations.

Word	Northland Pronunciation	Waikato Pronunciation	Common Mispronunciation	Correct (Standard)
whānau	faa-nah-oo	waa-nah-oo	vaa-nah-oo	faa-nah-oo
whare	fare	ware	vare	fare
whenua	fen-oo-ah	wen-oo-ah	ven-oo-ah	fen-oo-ah
whakapapa	fah-kah-pah-pah	wah-kah-pah-pah	vah-kah-pah-pah	fah-kah-pah-pah

Journalist Tip: The standard for broadcasting in Aotearoa is to use the "f" sound for wh. This aligns with the pronunciation used by most national broadcasters, including RNZ and Whakaata Māori. However, if you are researching a story from a specific iwi or region, expect to hear their pronunciation.

Audio Clip: Comparison of whānau pronunciations

Stress Patterns: Where to Place the Emphasis

In te reo Māori, stress generally falls on every macron, and the second to last mora. There are exceptions, particularly with loanwords. For journalists, the rule of thumb is:

Single words: Stress the second to last mora.

Aotearoa → A-oh-te-a-RO-a
Māori → Maa-O-ri
Tāmaki → Taa-MA-ki

Compound words: Stress macrons and the second to last mora of each word, unless there's a macron just before it.

Te Reo Māori → Te Re-o Maa-o-ri
Whare Rūnanga → Wha-re Ruu-na-nga

Journalist Tip: Misplacing stress can make a word unrecognisable. For example, Wellington pronounces with an adversely long We would be confusing.

Audio Clip: Stress patterns in place names

Common Pitfalls in Newsrooms

Ignoring Macrons in Place Names
Mispronouncing Ng
Over-Anglicising Vowels
Skipping Diphthongs

Practical Exercises for Newsrooms

Exercise 1: The 5-Minute Drill

Spend five minutes each morning practising the following words. Record yourself and compare it to the audio clips provided.

Tāmaki (with macron)
Whanganui (with wh as "f")
Ngāti Whātua (with ng and wh)
Aotearoa (with diphthongs)
Pōneke (Wellington in te reo Māori)

Audio Reference: 5-Minute Drill Audio

Exercise 2: The Bulletins Test

Take a recent Tārake bulletin and read it aloud, focusing on the pronunciation of te reo Māori words. Use our daily bulletin archive to find examples. Pay attention to:

• Macrons in place names (e.g., Ōtākou, Rōtorua).

• Diphthongs in personal names (e.g., Hone, Rangi).

• The wh sound in iwi names (e.g., Whakatōhea, Whanganui).

Tools for Journalists

1. Online Resources

• Te Reo Māori Dictionary: Includes audio pronunciations for thousands of words.

• Kōrero Māori: A free app for learning te reo Māori with audio support.

• Tārake's Pronunciation Guide: Our in-house guide, updated regularly.

2. Browser Extensions

• Macroniser: Automatically adds macrons to te reo Māori text on web pages.

• Te Reo Māori Pronunciation: A Chrome extension that provides audio pronunciations for highlighted text.

3. Newsroom Tools

• Pronunciation Guides: Create a shared document with audio clips for commonly used te reo Māori words in your newsroom.

• Expert Contacts: Build a list of local iwi representatives or te reo Māori experts who can verify pronunciations.

When in Doubt: Ask

If you are unsure about the pronunciation of a word, the best course of action is to ask a speaker of te reo Māori, but mind how you are using those people for your own benefit. Some people don't like being a teacher, or want to help you be better at your job when it would be better to pursue professional development avenues. Reaching out to journalists from local iwi or te reo Māori organisations (such as Te Mātāwai or Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori) can provide clarity and build relationships.