Pāngarau

The numbers from 1-10 in Māori

Once you have learnt the basic ten numbers, it is very easy to count up to one hundred and beyond. These are numbers from 1 to 10 in Māori:

• 1 - tahi
• 2 - rua
• 3 - toru
• 4 - whā
• 5 - rima
• 6 - ono
• 7 - whitu
• 8 - waru
• 9 - iwa
• 10 - tekau

Large numbers in Māori

All numbers from 11 will now follow a basic pattern. For example to say twenty-two, simple say rua tekau, which means 20 and then ma rua, Rua tekau ma rua. So all you have to do is learn the numbers from 1 - 10 and then the words for 10, 20, 30, 40 and so on.

• 11 - tekau ma tahi
• 12 - tekau ma rua
• 13 - tekau ma toru
• 14 - tekau ma whā
• 15 - tekau ma rima
• 16 - tekau ma ono
• 17 - tekau ma whitu
• 18 - tekau ma waru
• 19 - tekau ma iwa
• 20 - rua tekau
• 21 - rua tekau ma tahi
• 22 - rua tekau ma rua
• 23 - rua tekau ma toru
• 30 - toru tekau
• 40 - whā tekau
• 50 - rima tekau
• 60 - ono tekau
• 70 - whitu tekau
• 80 - waru tekau
• 90 - iwa tekau
• 100 - kotahi rau
• 101 - kotahi rau tahi

Ordinal Numbers in Māori

Ordinal numbers are ones that show a position, ranking or level. In English they are the numbers that usually have -th after them (e.g. 5th, 19th). In Māori ordinal numbers are created by adding the prefix tua- to the number.

• 1st - tuatahi
• 2nd - tuarua
• 3rd - tuatoru
• 4th - tuawhā
• 5th - tuarima
• 6th - tuaono
• 7th - tuawhitu
• 8th - tuawaru
• 9th - tuaiwa

Ordinal numbers after the number nine do NOT have the prefix tua-.

Click to view a YouTube video clip that will teach you to count to ten in Maori.

Click to use your counting in Maori skills, in a game.