A few familiar words can make a money conversation feel more approachable. Start with these nine terms in te reo Māori, from everyday money to saving for a house.
Start with the sounds
A macron marks a long vowel: ā, ē, ī, ō, ū. Hold that sound longer. Keep the macrons in pūtea, pēke, tāpui and mōkete; the words whare, moni, nama and penapena have none.
As a rough starting point, the vowel sounds are a as in “car”, e as in “pet”, i as in “see”, o as in “or” and u as in “too”. These English cues are approximate: keep unmarked vowels short and listen to the Māori vowel recordings for the sounds themselves.
The wh in whare is commonly an “f” sound, and r is lightly tapped. Pronunciation varies by dialect. Below, hyphens break words into practice chunks, not English spellings or stress marks. Let neighbouring vowels flow together: in taurewa, glide from a to u.
Nine useful words
These are short meanings for a money or home-buying conversation. Follow each dictionary link for fuller meanings and usage.
- PūteaFunds or finance
Practise: pū-te-a
A useful word when talking about the money available for your plans. Dictionary source
- WhareHouse or building
Practise: wha-re
The house itself, rather than the money borrowed to buy it. Dictionary source
- MoniMoney or cash
Practise: mo-ni
An everyday word for money. Dictionary source
- NamaDebt, bill or invoice
Practise: na-ma
In a money conversation, context tells you which meaning is intended. It can also mean a number. Dictionary source
- PenapenaTo save up or look after
Practise: pe-na-pe-na
Think of putting money aside over time for a future goal. Dictionary source
- PēkeBank
Practise: pē-ke
Here we mean a financial institution. Dictionary source
- Moni tāpuiDeposit or down payment
Practise: mo-ni tā-pu-i
A useful term in a conversation about money put towards a purchase. Dictionary source
- Pūtea taurewaFinancial loan
Practise: pū-te-a tau-re-wa
Borrowed money; the phrase does not by itself specify a home loan. Dictionary source
- MōketeMortgage
Practise: mō-ke-te
The mortgage term you may encounter when discussing a home purchase. Dictionary source
Put the words to use
Try labelling a savings goal “whare”, or using “moni” when talking about your weekly budget. Pick one word, listen, and practise it before adding another.
For the practical steps towards buying, explore our first-home buyer guidance or lender document checklist. You can also talk with CorePath Financial about your home-loan questions.
Sources checked
This glossary is a language-learning introduction, not a translation of a loan contract or personalised financial advice. Ask your adviser to explain any unfamiliar term in your own loan documents.