Bilingual signs installed in schools

Find te reo Māori translations for common signs you can install in schools.

Level of compliance Main audience Other

Recommended

  • Boards
  • Proprietors
  • Principals and tumuaki

Installing signs in both English and Māori promotes learning opportunities and encourages people to use Te reo Māori. As a board, you can use the Ministry’s bilingual list of words for rooms, buildings and services to help choose your signs.

Installing signs in English and Māori

Use the following list to choose the signs you think will best promote learning opportunities at your school.

Māori translations for rooms, buildings and services

English

Variations/examples

Māori

Rooms

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/activities

After school care

 

Manaakitanga Whai Muri i ngā Haora Kura

Art

Arts and crafts

Akoranga Toi

Automotive

Automotive
Automobile

Pūrere Hāereere
Motokā

Electronics

 

Tāhiko

Food technology

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

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

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

And

(we recommend you use & for brevity or include subject markers in the translation)

Administration and library
Hall and gym etc

Tari & Whare Pukapuka
Te Hōro me te Taiwhanga a Rēhia

New

New gym
New admin etc

Whare Rēhia Hou
Tari Whakahaere Hou

Old

Old gym
Old admin etc

Whare Rēhia Tawhito
Tari Whakahaere Tawhito

Paying for bilingual signs

You can set up an individual 5 Year Agreement (5YA) funding project to install signs but it's more cost effective to do the work as part of another 5YA funding project, like modernising a technology block.

5YA funding

A stand-alone project to install bilingual signs is a priority 3 project. 

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