Skip to content

Learn How to Pronounce Haere

Quick Answer: In Māori, Haere is pronounced [ˈhaɛɾɛ].
(Listen to the audio above for the stress and intonation)

The Expert's Take

Dr. Franz Lang
"During a semester I spent as a visiting lecturer in New Zealand, I was constantly charmed by the musicality of Te Reo Māori. I initially stumbled over "Haere mai," often blending the two words awkwardly. A colleague gently corrected me, emphasizing the open, flowing vowels—it's not a rushed "hi-ray" but a more deliberate, welcoming flow. That lesson in mindful pronunciation became a metaphor for the entire welcoming culture I experienced there."
By Dr. Franz Lang

Meaning and Context

Haere is a foundational verb in Te Reo Māori, the Māori language of New Zealand, encapsulating the core concepts of movement with the meanings "to go," "to come," or "to depart." Its significance extends far beyond simple locomotion, deeply embedded in the cultural fabric and tikanga (customs) of Aotearoa New Zealand. The word gains profound social and ceremonial weight in its most recognized phrases: "Haere mai," a warm and inclusive call meaning "welcome," "come here," or an invitation to enter, and "Haere rā," a formal farewell said to someone who is leaving. As a cornerstone of Māori language revitalization efforts and daily social interactions, understanding haere provides essential insight into New Zealand's unique cultural identity and the importance of indigenous language preservation. Its use in place names, waiata (songs), and formal speeches underscores its role as a vital keyword for anyone exploring Māori culture, New Zealand travel, or Polynesian linguistics.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The standard and correct spelling is "haere." A common and understandable error for non-Māori speakers involves the pronunciation and subsequent spelling of the digraph "ae," which represents a single vowel sound (somewhat like the 'i' in 'high'). This can lead to frequent misspellings such as "haiere" or "haeire," as people attempt to phonetically spell the sound they hear. Another typographical error is the omission of the 'h', resulting in "aere." It is also important to distinguish "haere" from the similar-looking but distinct word "hara," which means "sin" or "offence." In written Māori, macrons are used to indicate long vowels, so the technically complete form is "haere," though the macron is often omitted in general use. The related phrase "Haere mai" is sometimes incorrectly written as a single word ("haeremai") or hyphenated ("haere-mai"), though the standard form is two separate words.

Example Sentences

As the waka (canoe) approached the shore, the people on the marae called out, "Haere mai! Haere mai!" to welcome the visitors.

When concluding our online meeting with colleagues in Wellington, I respectfully signed off with "Haere rā" to those remaining.

The instruction "Haere atu ki te kāuta" simply means "Go to the kitchen."

In the beautiful waiata, the lyrics "Haere rā e hine" express a poignant farewell to a girl.

For your journey to the summit, you would say, "Me haere tātou ki te taumata," meaning "Let us go to the summit."

It is considered polite to acknowledge a greeting by responding to "Haere mai" with a smile and a reciprocal "Kia ora."

Sources and References

For the Māori word "haere," I used the clear recordings by native speakers on Forvo. I also listened to its use in traditional Māori greetings and songs on YouTube, and consulted online Te Reo Māori language resources like the Māori Dictionary.

Related Pronunciations


📂 Browse all words in the Other Global Phrases and Greetings category ➔