Putting things together

Now the words you have been learning can start working together in useful little phrases.

This is where te reo Māori starts to feel more expressive. You are not just naming a thing now. You are saying what kind of thing it is: big, small, new, old, good, fast, and so on.

In te reo Māori, the describing word usually comes after the thing it describes. That is one of the most useful word-order patterns to get comfortable with early.

he rorohiko hou (a new computer)
he kete nui (a big basket)
he motokā tere (a fast car)
he tēpu roa (a long table)

Once this starts to feel natural, you can describe all sorts of everyday things around you without needing a long sentence.

A good habit here: when you see a phrase, notice the thing word first, then the describing word after it. Try saying it with a tiny pause in your mind: motokā ... tere; kete ... nui. That can help the pattern settle.

If you want to make this practical straight away, look around your room and try making a few short phrases of your own: he pukapuka hou, he pene rākau poto, he waea tawhito. Even if they are simple, they are real te reo.

Where does the describing word go in te reo Māori? After the noun.
How would you say “a big basket”? he kete nui
How would you say “a short pencil”? he pene rākau poto