and
me
Extend right index finger, palm up. Move formation forward slightly, turning to palm down.
baby
pēpi
Make a cradle with both arms. Move them as though rocking a baby.
bad
kino
Extend right little finger, palm left. Move formation forward slightly.
ball
pōro
Place palms down, index fingers touching. Move apart in opposing arcs, turning so blades touch, palms up.
bed
moenga
Place open right hand on side of head. Tilt head slightly.
bird
manu
Extend right index finger and thumb. Place under chin. Open and close finger and thumb, twice.
biscuit
pihikete
Form fist with thumb extended. Move thumb tip in small circle on back of relaxed left hand.
cookie
blocks
poraka
Form "C" with index finger and thumbs of both hands, palms forward, hands touching. Move formation apart. Close fingertips and thumbs.
book
pukapuka
Place blades of open hands together. Close and open formation.
boy
tama
Extend right index finger. Rub side of finger forwards and backwards across the chin, twice.
bread
paraoa
Move blade of open right hand across palm of open left hand in a sawing movement.
breakfast
parakuihi
Form right fist. Place formation above relaxed left palm. Move right formation in circles towards mouth and away from body, twice.
brother
uakana, teina, tungāne
Form fists with both hands. Rub fists up and down, twice.
bus
pahi
Form fist with both hands, palms up. Move formation as if driving a bus.
butter
pani, pata
Move fingertips of right hand along lower palm of open left hand, twice.
cake
keke
Bounce tips of fingers and thumb of cupped right hand on back of left hand, twice.
car
motokā
Form fists with both hands, palms facing. Move formation as if driving a car.
cat
ngeru
Stroke back of open left hand with fingers of open right hand, palm down.
chair
tūru
Place fingertips of open right hand, bend at third knuckles, blade forward, into palm of open left hand. Move formation down slightly.
clean
whakapai
Sweep right fingers, palm down, along left palm. Twice.
coffee
kawhe
Form fists with both hands. Move right fist in small anti-clockwise circles above left fist.
cold
makariri
Form fists with both hands. Place at sides of chest. Move formation in quick, short sideways movements, several times.
come
haere mai
Extend crooked right index finger, palm up. Move formation in an arc towards centre of chest. Use directionality.
dinner
hapa
Extend index and middle fingers of both hands. Move in an alternate circular motion toward the mouth.
dirty
paruparu
Move open right hand in clockwise circles over left palm.
dog
kurī
Hit thigh with open right hand, twice.
doll
tāre
Sign "baby" without movement of the arms.
door
tatau
Place left fingernails on the heel of open right hand, blades down. Tap back of left hand with fingers, twice.
drink
inu
Form right handed "C", palm left, blade down. Tilt up and forward as if drinking.
dry
whakamaroke
Form right fist, palm down. Move in clockwise circles above left palm.
eat
kai
Place tips of right fingers onto ball of right thumb. Tap formation on chin, twice
egg
hēki
Extend right index finger. Move along left index finger and up side of left thumb.
father
matua, pāpā
Fingerspell "F" quickly, twice.
daddy dad papa
feeling hot
wera
Mime wiping brow with right hand.
flower
putiputi
Form right fist. Place formation slightly below and in front of chin. Inhale as if smelling flowers.
fork
paoka
Extend right index, middle, and ring fingers. Jab into palm of open left hand, twice.
girl
kōtiro
Extend right index finger. Stroke left check with side of finger, twice
give
homai, hoatu
Move open hands, palms up, forward simultaneously, in shallow arc. Use directionality.
glass
kapu, inu
Form right handed "C", palm left, blade down. Place with stress in front of body
cup drink
go
haere
Place open right hand, palm back, blade down at chest. Move forward to palm forward. Use directionality.
good
pai
Form right fist with thumb extended, palm left. Formation can be moved forward with stress.
good morning
mōrena, ata mārie
Sign "good". Then tap fingertips of slightly cupped right hand on left lapel and move to right lapel.
goodbye
ka kite
Use natural gesture.
bye
heater
whakamahana
Hold both hands palm forward, as if feeling heat.
hello
kia ora
Open right hand, fingers separated, palm forward. Move in small arc from centre chest to right.
hi
hot
wera
Place right fingertips on chin. Turn hand quickly to palm down, while moving hand forward, stopping with stress.
house
whare, kāinga
Place open hands, fingers together, blade forward. Move fingertips apart to trace the roof and walls of a house.
home
I
ahau, au
Extend right index finger. Point to self.
me
ice cream
aihikirīmi
Form right fist. Place formation in front of chin. Twist from wrist towards chin, twice.
jam
tiamu
Extend right little finger. Form "O" with left thumb and fingers. Place right little finger into left and and then move up slightly.
knife
naihi, tapahi
Extend both index fingers, blades down. Move right formation backwards and forwards on left formation.
light
rama
Place right fingernails on ball of right thumb. Place formation at eye level at right side of face, palm down. Flick hand open.
look
titiro, kite
Place extended right index and middle fingers, slightly apart at corner of right eye. Move formation forward. Use directionality.
see
lunch
tina
Place right hand with fingers and thumbs opposed, in front of chin. Move across chin from right to left.
man
Place relaxed right fist under chin. Close fist while moving down from chin
milk
miraka
Form right fist. Open and close fist, moving down slightly, twice.
mother
whaea, māmā
Fingerspell "M" quickly, twice
mummy mum mother mama
no
kāo
Move open right hand, palm forwards, with stress from centre of chest to right. Used for all negative statements e.g. don't eat - sign "no eat"
plate
pereti
Extend right index finger, palm down. Move in a clockwise circle above open left palm.
please
koa, mihi
Move fingertips of open right hand forward from chin. Use both hands for stress. Use directionality.
thank you thanks
rice
raihi
Extend right index and middle fingers. Move in small circles over left palm, touching palm twice.
sandwich
hanawiti
Hold both hands with fingers and thumbs opposed. Place left fingers withing right formation. Move formation from right to left in front of chin.
shower
tāuwhiuwhi
Bounce slightly cupped right hand above head, twice.
sister
uakana, teina, tuahine
Tap side of crooked right index finger on bridge of nose, twice.
sit
noho
Place open right hand,palm down, on back of open left hand. Move formation down, slightly.
sitting
sleep
moe
Place open right hand on side of head. Close eyes. Tilt head slightly.
spoon
pune
Form right fist, as if holding a spoon. Move in small forward circles in front of chin.
stand
tū
Place tips of extended right index and middle fingers, slightly apart, onto palm of open left hand.
sugar
huka
Form right fist, as if grasping a spoon. Shake formation back and forth.
table
tēpu
Place open hands together, palms down. Move hands apart, then turn to palms facing and move downwards.
tea
tī
Place right index finger onto ball of right thumb, other fingers extend and slightly spread. Move formation to mouth.
teddy
teti pea
Form "C" with index fingers and thumbs of both hands. Place fingertips on head with thumbs on temples to represent the ears of teddy.
telephone
waea
Extend right little finger and thumb. Place formation at right side of head.
television
pouaka whakaata
Fingerspell "T" then "V"
there
korā
Extend right index finger. Bounce finger downwards in front of body, twice. Use directionality.
here
toilet
wharepaku
Tug right ear slightly with right thumb and index finger.
tree
rākau
Hold right hand, fingers spread, palm forward and bent at elbow. Rock wrist slightly.
wash
horoi, kaukau, tāpu
Mime washing the appropriate part of body.
bathe bath
what
he aha
Extend right index finger, palm forward. Move formation from side to side, twice. Use placement and directionality.
where
kei hea
Open both hands and simultaneously move each from side to side, twice.
window
matapihi
Move right hand, palm back, from chest to eye level and then down again.
woman
wahine
Place open right hand beside right side of face, palm back. Bend fingers toward shoulder.
lady
yes
āe
Form right fist. Move up and down from wrist twice.
you
koe
Extend right index finger. Point forward or toward person concerned. Use directionality.
