Māori · C1 · Unit 19
Shades of meaning
Ngā rerekētanga iti
By the end you can
- Choose the precise word for a subtle difference
- Soften and qualify what you say
- Understand what is implied but not said
Words and phrases
| Māori | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| rerekētanga iti | a subtle difference | He rerekētanga iti kei waenganui i ngā kupu e rua. |
| kupu kaha rawa | too strong a word | He kupu kaha rawa tēnā. |
| ngāwari ake | softer, gentler | Me whakamahi tētahi kupu ngāwari ake. |
| haere ki te pō | pass away (literally 'go to the night') | Kua haere ki te pō tōku koroua. |
| tōna āhua nei | it seems, more or less | Tōna āhua nei, kāore anō kia rite. |
| kāore i te pērā katoa | not entirely so, not quite | Kāore i te pērā katoa. |
| āta kōwhiri | choose carefully | Me āta kōwhiri ngā kupu. |
| kōrero hāngai | straight talk, direct speech | He kōrero hāngai tāna. |
| kei raro iho | underneath, implied | He aha te kōrero kei raro iho? |
| pōhēhē | misunderstand, mistakenly think | I pōhēhē ia kei te riri au. |
| heoi anō rā | having said that, still | Heoi anō rā, he pai tonu ia ki a au. |
| nā te kupu kotahi | because of one word | I riri rāua nā te kupu kotahi. |
Then talk it through
Rewording a sensitive message together with a colleague. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.