hari huritau
hari huritau is the way to say happy birthday in Māori.
The phrase is used to express good wishes on someone's birthday. You may also use the term Rā whānau on its own to refer to the concept of a birthday itself.
Meaning: good wishes for a birthday (intj)
Did you know?
- The word whānau in rā whānau means both 'birth' and 'family'. This linguistic link highlights a cultural view that an individual's birth is inseparable from their kinship group.
- While hari huritau is the formal phrase, many Māori speakers use the loanword hāpi bēreiti in casual conversation. This is an example of transliteration, where English sounds are adapted into Māori spelling rules.
- In a formal setting, rather than just saying 'happy birthday', it is common to acknowledge the person's 'whānau' (family) or their 'mana' (prestige) during celebrations.
Examples in context
- Kia pai te rā whānau!Have a great birthday!
- Hari huritau ki a koe!Happy birthday to you!
- Hari huritau ki a koe, e te hoa.Happy birthday to you, my friend.
Example conversation
Kahu gives a gift to Rawiri.
- KahuHari huritau, Rawiri!Happy birthday, Rawiri!
- RawiriTēnā koe, Kahu.Thank you, Kahu.
- KahuHe koha tēnei māu.This is a gift for you.
- RawiriHe pai rawa tēnei!This is very good!
