Tirohanga whānui
Programme overview
This beginner-level programme is ideal for learners with little or no te reo Māori. You’ll learn how to:
Use basic greetings and everyday phrases
Introduce yourself with confidence
Talk about your whānau and home
Have simple conversations
Study at your own pace with no set class times. Learning resources will be sent to you, and a dedicated kaitiaki will guide your progress along the way. Build your confidence step by step and begin using te reo Māori in everyday life.
Nau mai, haere mai.
He aha tāu ka whiwhi?
Skills you'll leave with
Completing this programme means you’ll be able to:
Use basic te reo Māori vocabulary and grammar
Talk about yourself and your connection to the land
Apply reo in everyday situations
Build respect and understanding of te reo Māori
Mā te mahi ka ako
Learn by doing
You will get to practice:
Every day reo Māori greetings and farewells
Pronounciation of Māori words
Basic instructions around the home
Teaching a new phrase to someone in your whānau
Time, dates, days of the week and seasons
Ngā ara e wātea ana
Pathways
By the end, you'll be able to:
Keep studying
Step up to Te Ara Reo Māori Level 2 or our introduction to Māori tikanga (practices) programme.
Use at work
A foundation in te reo Māori adds value to roles across the public and private sectors, helping you connect with people and communities.
Community involvement
Use your new skills at home, at work, and in everyday life to support whānau and hapū, and help keep the language alive.
He meka
Quick facts
- Level 1 (Introductory)
- 60 Credits
- 52 Weeks
- Te Pōkaitahi Reo (Reo Rua) (Te Kaupae 1)
- No fees
- NZQA Accredited
- Home-based learning
Paearu whakauru
Entry criteria
You can enrol if you:
Are 16 years or older
Are a NZ citizen or resident (includes Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau) or Australian citizen/permanent resident
Currently reside in New Zealand
Te wā
Time commitment
This programme is:
Part-time
60 credits
52 weeks long
Home-based learning
Kōnae ako
Learning modules
Our study at home programmes have different start dates in each region, depending on current demand.
Programmes fill quickly and your start date might be several months after you complete your enrolment. Once we receive your enrolment, we’ll send you a letter confirming your start date. Please make sure you have provided everything for a complete enrolment.
If you are wanting to study sooner, please check out our Papa Reo Online programme.
Ki hea, mō āhea hoki au ako ai?
Where and when can I learn?
Home-based learning
Kaupapa anamata
Upcoming events
Pitopito kōrero o te wā
Latest news
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa launches new reo Māori programmes to help te reo thrive for generations to come
For over four decades, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has created pathways for generations of tauira to learn, speak, teach and live te reo Māori. That legacy has supported the return of te reo Māori to everyday life, from whānau learning their first kupu, to tauira carrying reo onto marae, and into workplaces, classrooms and homes.
Turning a passion for rongoā into community healing
Rongoā Māori has always been part of Patricia Tangira-Falwasser's life, but it was her studies at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that deepened her knowledge and inspired her to start a business that now serves her wider community.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa kaimahi claims gold at Waka Ama World Championship
Ken Henry (Te Whakatōhea, Waikato-Tainui) is a Tauira Support Advisor at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Whakatāne campus who took home gold at the Waka Ama World Championships in Singapore in August.
A passion for taonga Māori takes Chanel to Oxford
What started as a desire to strengthen her reo Māori has taken Chanel Coromandel (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Whanaunga) on an unexpected path, leading to an opportunity to contribute to the care and preservation of taonga Māori at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England.
Reconnecting to te ao Māori through raranga
Haylee Roussel (Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne, Ngāti Maniapoto) was searching for a way to reconnect with te ao Māori when she enrolled in the Certificate in Māori and Indigenous Art, Raranga, at the Waiwhero campus of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
A journey shaped by whānau and a love of tamariki
Members of Tayla-Marie Takawe’s (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto) whānau were among the first tauira to graduate from the Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Finding a deeper sense of self through te ao Māori
Moving to Aotearoa from rural Australia as a teenager, Lily Warring found herself wanting to learn more about the culture and language of the place she now called home.
Creating the spark for business success
With plenty of experience as an electrician, Josh Verstraten was ready to branch out from employee to business owner, but he knew running a successful business would require a new set of skills.
From financial stress to financial freedom for Auckland whānau
For Augustine Kopa, studying the Certificate in Money Management at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa was about creating a better future for her whānau.
Two generations, one reo Māori journey
When Melody Francis (Ngāti Kahungunu) saw the positive impact that studying te reo Māori had on her mum, she decided to jump on the waka and begin the journey alongside her.
