Stacey Morrison - Up to Speed with Te Reo, a special podcast

Guyon Espiner, RNZ reporter and presenter. Photo / RNZ

Up to Speed with Te Reo Māori is a special podcast series by NZME and Te Reo advocate Stacey Morrison. The series of 10 short podcasts help get you up to speed with Māori language phrases and words that are often heard in media, public addresses and everyday conversations in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Ko Stacey Morrison tōku ingoa, my name is Stacey Morrison, and episode 3 of Up to Speed with Te Reo kōnae ipurangi – podcast, common whakataukī – proverbs from te ao Māori – the Māori world, kiwaha – colloquial sayings, and commonly heard rerenga kōrero – phrases.

Broadcaster Stacey Morrison. Photo / NZME

Andrew Saville from TVNZ sports appears to have taught many sports fans this phrase, as he opens up every sports news saying: Nau mai ki ngā hākinakina o te wā. Welcome to the day's sports.

Let's break that sentence down: Nau mai – welcome. Hākinakina is sport and by putting ngā in front of it, it becomes plural: sports.

TV and radio presenter Jack Tame. Photo / Dean Purcell

Jack Tame has been recognised for his Te Reo efforts in broadcasting and has even won a Māori language award. On the Breakfast show he would normally say, "Kia ora e te whānau, nau mai, haere mai, ko Parakuihi tēnei."

Kia ora e te whānau means, hey Fam!

It's a common and friendly greeting and Jack has modelled good grammar there by saying 'e te whānau' which is correct – although we hear people saying Kia ora whānau, without the 'e te' just so you know, that's not grammatically correct. So, kia ora e te whānau - hey fam - nau mai, haere mai – welcome - ko Parakuihi tēnei – this is Breakfast! Parakuihi is the word for breakfast.

Another common rerenga kōrero you'll hear often on television and radio now is: ngā mihi

Ngā mihi – which means many thanks, greetings. Sometimes presenters will say this when a reporter has just finished a report. Ngā mihi and ngā mihi nui are popularly used as a sign off on emails. It is a way of saying "many thanks" and/or "regards".

Radio New Zealand has been a leader in terms of using kupu Māori – Māori words and phrases, and this is one they use widely:

Kei te whakarongo mai koe ki te reo irirangi o Aotearoa: you're listening to Radio New Zealand.

"Kei te" is the way we start sentences that talk about something that's happening right now. So, kei te whakarongo mai koe - you are listening. Reo irirangi means radio, and te reo irirangi o Aotearoa is the Māori name for Radio New Zealand.

Guyon Espiner, RNZ reporter and presenter who has been dedicated himself to become fluent, gives this advice: Ko te mea nui, karawhiua – the most important thing, is to go for it! Tōngakingaki - go 100 percent. Nau mai te hapa - embrace the mistakes. Kaua e māharahara - don't worry.

As long as we learn from mistakes, we make them worthwhile.

Mauri ora e te iwi, happy Māori language week.

Mauri ora is a way to wish someone well, wishing them vibrant energy and lifeforce.

And here are some other sign-off options:

Noho ora mai rā: Stay well, and goodbye - said to someone who is staying behind, when you are leaving.

Ka kite anō: See you again,