Health & Hospital

1. Kei te māuiui ahau

   kei te mā-ui-ui a-hau

   I am sick / unwell

   Usage

   Basic phrase to say you are feeling sick

   Grammar Note

   kei te + verb/adjective expresses current state or action

2. Kei hea te hōhipera?

   kei he-a te hō-hi-pe-ra

   Where is the hospital?

   Usage

   Asking for the hospital location in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   hōhipera is borrowed from the English word hospital

3. Kei te mamae tōku māhunga

   kei te ma-mae tō-ku mā-hu-nga

   My head hurts

   Usage

   Describing a headache

   Grammar Note

   tōku is the "o-class" possessive adjective meaning "my"

4. E hiahia ana ahau ki te kite i tētahi tākuta

   e hi-a-hi-a a-na a-hau ki te ki-te i tē-ta-hi tā-ku-ta

   I want to see a doctor

   Usage

   Expressing the need to see a doctor

   Grammar Note

   tākuta is borrowed from the English word doctor

5. He whare rongoā kei konei?

   he wha-re ro-ngo-ā kei ko-nei

   Is there a pharmacy here?

   Usage

   Asking if there is a pharmacy nearby

   Grammar Note

   "Whare rongoā" means pharmacy / chemist shop (synonyms "kēmihi", "kēmehi"). "Pātaka" is a raised food storehouse and never means pharmacy. "Rongoā" on its own also covers traditional Māori herbal medicine

6. He mate puku tōku

   he ma-te pu-ku tō-ku

   I have a stomach ache

   Usage

   Describing stomach pain

   Grammar Note

   mate broadly means "illness / trouble / death" depending on context

7. He inihua kei ahau

   he i-ni-hu-a kei a-hau

   I have insurance

   Usage

   Informing hospital reception that you have insurance

   Grammar Note

   kei ahau is a possessive construction meaning "I have"

8. Kāore au e inu waipiro

   kā-o-re au e i-nu wai-pi-ro

   I don't consume alcohol

   Usage

   Telling medical staff that you do not drink alcohol

   Grammar Note

   Habitual negation is "Kāore + pronoun + e + verb" (example: "Kāhore ahau e mōhio"). "Ngote" means to suck (at the breast) and cannot be used for drinking alcohol; "inu" is the verb to drink

9. Whakaaro nui ki a koe

   wha-ka-a-ro nui ki a ko-e

   Thinking of you / Take care

   Usage

   Offering comfort to someone who is unwell

   Grammar Note

   "Whakaaro" is a verb meaning "to think" or "to care about". A personal pronoun after the preposition "ki" always takes the particle "a": "ki a koe", "ki a ia" ("āu" is the possessive "your" and cannot stand here)

10. Kia ora tonu

    ki-a o-ra to-nu

    Stay well / Be in good health

    Usage

    Wishing someone continued good health

    Grammar Note

    kia + adjective expresses a wish "may you be..."

11. Hapū

    Pregnant

    Usage

    Show this first — it changes what medicine and X-rays are safe; hapū also means a subtribe

12. Huangō

    Asthma

    Usage

    To declare asthma

13. Mate huka

    Diabetes

    Usage

    To declare diabetes

14. Mate manawa

    Heart condition

    Usage

    For a heart condition or cardiac event

15. Kōiwi whati

    Broken bone

    Usage

    To report a suspected broken bone

16. Ānini

    Dizzy

    Usage

    To say you feel dizzy

17. Kei te rere te toto

    I am bleeding

    Usage

    To report bleeding

18. Mare

    Cough

    Usage

    To report a cough

19. Mangeo

    Itchy

    Usage

    To report itching

20. Waiwhero

    Menstruation

    Usage

    To say you are menstruating

21. Te inihua hauora

    Health insurance

    Usage

    Show this when asked about health insurance

22. Te takai

    Bandage

    Usage

    To ask for a bandage

23. Waeatia he tākuta!

    wae-a-ti-a he tā-ku-ta

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Ask bystanders for help when you or a companion collapses

    Grammar Note

    The same frame as "Waeatia he waka tūroro!" ("Please call an ambulance"), with the object "tākuta" ("doctor", the same form as in "E hiahia ana ahau ki te kite i tētahi tākuta").

24. Kei te mamae i konei.

    kei te ma-mae i ko-nei

    It hurts here

    Usage

    Show it while pointing at the spot — it works without knowing the body-part word

    Grammar Note

    Uses "Kei te mamae", as in "Kei te mamae tōku māhunga" and adds the locative "i konei" ("here"), the same form as in "He petipeti ana i konei. Āta tūpato!" and "Kei konei ahau mō tētahi haerenga pakihi".

25. He ngenge tōku tinana.

    he nge-nge tō-ku ti-na-na

    My body feels sluggish

    Usage

    Describing weakness or heaviness in the body when there is no fever

    Grammar Note

    The "He + state + tōku tinana" pattern of "He pai rawa atu! He māmā tōku tinana." with the state word "ngenge". The meaning is "ngenge (verb) to be weary, tired, fatigued." and its example "Hoki rawa ake ia ki te kāinga i te tau 1920, e ngenge, e māuiuitia ana te tinana." shows it co-occurring with "tinana".

26. Kua ruaki au.

    ku-a ru-a-ki au

    I have vomited

    Usage

    Used to tell a doctor that you have vomited

    Grammar Note

    The perfective "Kua + verb + subject" also appears in "Kua ngaro tōku pēke" and "Kua tāhaetia āku taonga". The subject au has the same position as in "Me okioki au?". Ruaki means to vomit, retch or regurgitate; its passive suffixes are -na and -tia. The word order for the quantity expression is he maha ngā wā, not ngā wā maha. Ngā wāhi means "places", a different word.

27. Me okioki au?

    me o-ki-o-ki au

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Checking with medical staff after an examination whether you should rest

    Grammar Note

    The "Me + verb + subject?" frame of "Me tāpui au?" ("Do I need a booking?"), with the verb "okioki". The meaning is "okioki (verb) to rest, pause."

28. Mate kōrere

    ma-te kō-re-re

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    Symptom word for telling a doctor or pharmacist

    Grammar Note

    "Kōrere" can mean "diarrhoea" (example: "Mō te mate kōrere … he koromiko"). Its other senses are gutter and tap

29. Mate kōroke

    ma-te kō-ro-ke

    Constipation

    Usage

    Symptom word for telling a doctor or pharmacist

    Grammar Note

    Both "mate kōroke (noun) constipation" and "kōroke (noun) constipation" are nouns meaning constipation. "Kōreke" / "mate kōreke" are variant forms with the same meaning

30. Tūtae

    tū-tae

    Poop

    Usage

    Everyday word, for talking to a child or describing stools at a check-up

    Grammar Note

    The meaning is "dung, excrement, shit, faeces, poo, droppings, stools". Synonyms: hamuti, roke, tiko. It is also the first part of several plant names

31. Mimi

    mi-mi

    Pee

    Usage

    Everyday word, for talking to a child or describing urine at a check-up

    Grammar Note

    The noun is glossed "urine, pee, piss" and the verb "to urinate" (usually in the passive mīia). Synonym: mīmimi. It also means "stream, creek"

32. He mate kōrere tōku

    he ma-te kō-re-re tō-ku

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Telling a doctor or pharmacist you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    This is "He mate puku tōku" (I have a stomach ache) with "puku" replaced by "kōrere" (diarrhoea)

33. He mate kōroke tōku

    he ma-te kō-ro-ke tō-ku

    I'm constipated

    Usage

    Telling a doctor or pharmacist you are constipated

    Grammar Note

    This is "He mate puku tōku" with "puku" replaced by "kōroke" from "mate kōroke" (constipation)

34. E hiahia ana ahau ki te mimi

    e hi-a-hi-a a-na a-hau ki te mi-mi

    I need to pee

    Usage

    Telling a companion or child you need to pee

    Grammar Note

    The frame "ki te + verb" of "E hiahia ana ahau ki te kite i tētahi tākuta" with the verb "mimi" (to urinate)

35. E hiahia ana ahau ki te tiko

    e hi-a-hi-a a-na a-hau ki te ti-ko

    I need to poop

    Usage

    Telling a companion or child you need to poop

    Grammar Note

    The frame "ki te + verb" with the verb "tiko" (to have a bowel motion, shit, defecate). The noun "tūtae" is another route

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