Vehicles

16 phrases · Māori with romanization, English and audio

  1. Te motokā

    Car

    Usage

    Borrowed from English "motor car"; the same form used in the car rental set

  2. Te pahi

    Bus

    Usage

    A bus stop is "tūnga pahi"; between towns, InterCity coaches do most of the work

  3. Te tākihi

    Taxi

    Usage

    Borrowed from English; in the cities, ride-hailing apps are more common

  4. Te taraka

    Truck

    Usage

    Borrowed from English; take care overtaking them on single-lane highways

  5. Te motupaika

    Motorbike

    Usage

    Also spelled "motopaika"; both are loans from English

  6. Te pahikara

    Bicycle

    Usage

    Also spelled "paihikara"; the country has a national cycle trail network

  7. Te tereina

    Train

    Usage

    Commuter rail exists only in Auckland and Wellington; long distance means a handful of scenic services

  8. Te waka rererangi

    Aeroplane

    Usage

    Literally "the vehicle that flies in the sky"; an airport is "taunga rererangi"

  9. Te waka tere

    Ferry

    Usage

    The word for the Cook Strait crossings such as the Interislander

  10. Te tima

    Steamer / ship

    Usage

    Borrowed from English "steamer"; it can also mean a ferry

  11. Te kaipuke

    Ship

    Usage

    A large vessel including sailing ships; common in historical accounts

  12. Te poti

    Boat

    Usage

    Borrowed from English; used for smaller craft

  13. Te waka

    Canoe / vehicle

    Usage

    Originally the canoe, now any vehicle; the name of an ancestral canoe still marks which people a person belongs to

  14. Te waka ama

    Outrigger canoe

    Usage

    "Ama" is the float; it is also a competitive sport with visitor sessions available

  15. Te waka taua

    Ceremonial war canoe

    Usage

    The large carved canoe paddled out on ceremonial occasions such as Waitangi Day

  16. Te waka tūroro

    Ambulance

    Usage

    "Tūroro" means a patient; in an emergency dial 111

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