Installing bilingual signs in schools
Installing signs in both English and Māori promotes learning opportunities and encourages people to use te reo Māori. Use our list to choose the signs you think best promote learning opportunities at your school.
Paying for bilingual signs
You can set up an individual 5 Year Agreement (5YA) project to install signs but it's more cost effective to do the work as part of another 5YA funding project – like modernising a classroom, for example. A stand-alone project to install bilingual signs is a priority 3 project.
Māori translations for rooms, buildings, and services
Rooms
| Rooms | Variations / Examples | Te reo Māori |
| Accessible bathroom | Accessible toilet Accessible shower |
Wharepaku mō te Hunga Hauā Uwhiuwhi mō te Hunga Hauā |
| Bike shed | Bike shed (enclosed) Bike shed (open sided) |
Whare Paihikara Pātūtū Paihikara |
| Bus shelter | Pātūtū Pahi | |
| Cafeteria | Wāhikai | |
| Caretaker shed | Whare Kaitiaki | |
| Computer room | Computer room Computer suite ICT room |
Whare Rorohiko Taiwhanga Rorohiko Whare Whitiwhiti Kōrero Hangarau |
| Cultural centre | Taiwhanga Ahurea | |
| Garage | Whare Motokā, Karāti | |
| Health centre | Whare Hauora | |
| Hostel | Whare Puni | |
| Laboratory | Taiwhanga Pūtaiao | |
| Library | Whare Pukapuka | |
| Office | Tari | |
| Pavilion | Bowling pavilion | Whare Maita |
| Pump shed | Whare Papu | |
| Resource room | Whare Rauemi | |
| Shed | As an enclosed building | Whare |
| Speech clinic | Whare Haukōrero | |
| Staffroom | Ātea Kaiako | |
| Student centre | Ātea Ākonga | |
| Workshop | Awheawhe |
Services or activities
| Service or activity | Variations / Examples | Te reo Māori |
| After school care | Arts and crafts | Manaakitanga Whai Muri i ngā Haora Kura |
| Art | Automobile | Akoranga Toi |
| Automotive | Pūrere Hāereere Motokā |
|
| Electronics | Tāhiko | |
| Food technology | Home economics Home craft |
Hangarau Kai Ohaoha Kāinga Mahi Kāinga |
| Horticulture | Ahuone | |
| Intermediate | Māhuri | |
| Junior | Mātātahi | |
| Kiln | Oumu | |
| Middle school | Kura Waenga | |
| Photography | Mahi Whakaahua | |
| Play centre | Māori language play centre | Puna Ako Puna Reo |
| Reading recovery | Whare Haupānui | |
| Senior | Mātāpuputu | |
| Social science | Pūtaiao Pāpori | |
| Special education needs | Special learning needs Special education |
Matea Ako Matea Mātauranga |
| Sports | Sports shed Sports hall Sports pavilion |
Whare Hākinakina Urumanga Hākinakina Taiwhanga Hākinakina |
| Storage | Storage shed Storage room |
Pukeinga Pukeinga |
| Teaching | Whakaako | |
| Woodwork | Taratārai |
Types of space
| Space | Variations / Examples | Te reo Māori |
| Ancillary | Āpiti | |
| Audio visual | Ataata-rongo | |
| Block | Block one, block 2, block A Administration block Classroom block etc Main block |
Rohenga 1, Rohenga 2, Rohenga A Rohenga Whakahaere Rohenga Akomanga Rohenga Matua |
| Building | Room, shed Classroom Multi-level block Office block |
Whare Akomanga Whare Tinipapa Whare Tinitari |
| Community | Community hall | Urumanga Hapori |
| Room | Akomanga | |
| School | Kura | |
| Technology block | Technical block | Rohenga Hangarau |
Getting the correct grammar
| Grammar | Variations / Examples | Te reo Māori |
| And (we recommend you use & for brevity or include subject markers in the translation) |
Administration and library Hall and gym |
Tari & Whare Pukapuka Te Hōro me te Taiwhanga a Rēhia |
| New | New gym New admin |
Whare Rēhia Hou Tari Whakahaere Hou |
| Old | Old gym Old admin |
Whare Rēhia Tawhito Tari Whakahaere Tawhito |