# Te Aka Māori Dictionary

> Comprehensive Māori-English dictionary with cultural and linguistic resources. (iPhone/iPad app by TE MURUMARA FOUNDATION.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/te-aka-maori-dictionary/id377136638 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [TE MURUMARA FOUNDATION](https://appshunter.io/developer/1552078968)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: $3.99
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 10 App Store ratings · 97 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 11.0 · 69 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2010-06-16
- Data updated: 2026-08-29
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/te-aka-maori-dictionary/id377136638/reviews.md

## What is Te Aka Māori Dictionary?

Te Aka is a Māori language dictionary that is easy to use by searching for Māori or English words. It includes the ability to filter search results, and to save definitions to a Favourites list. There are currently over 24,000 Māori headword entries in the database, which is being added to over time. An offline dictionary has also been included when internet connectivity is not available.

As well as English meanings, it has example sentences with translations for many entries. It even has photographs and audio clips for Aotearoa/New Zealand native fauna and photographs of flora, important people and other items where a photograph will aid understanding.

In addition to the words one would expect in a traditional dictionary, it also has encyclopaedic entries designed to provide key information about plants, animals, stars, planets, heavenly bodies, important Māori people, key ancestors of traditional narratives, tribal groups, ancestral canoes, song types, musical instruments, Māori names for institutions, country names, place names and other proper names. There are also detailed explanations of key concepts central to Māori culture. Comprehensive explanations for grammatical items are included, with examples of usage, as are idioms and colloquialisms with their meanings and examples.

The Te Aka Maori app is the companion to the popular www.maoridictionary.co.nz website and forms part of the Te Whanake Māori Language learning series.

## Key features

- Māori and English word search
- Offline dictionary access
- Favourites list for saved definitions
- Example sentences with translations
- Photographs and audio clips
- Encyclopedic entries on culture and history
- Grammatical explanations and idioms

## What do users think of Te Aka Māori Dictionary?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 👍 Great for learning Te Reo Māori
- 👍 Comprehensive vocabulary and grammar
- 👍 Useful examples of word usage
- 👍 Favourites tab for saving words
- 👍 Quiz feature is a great addition
- 👍 Bilingual examples enhance knowledge
- 👍 Quick response from app team
- 👍 Supports offline use (historically)
- 👍 Audio pronunciation feature is invaluable
- 👍 Smooth and comprehensive app
- 👍 Good for travel

**Cons**

- 🐛 Slow to open/load
- 🐛 App resets when switching apps
- 🐛 Search is exact, no fuzzy search
- 🐛 Too many irrelevant search results
- 🐛 No clear indication of most applicable search results
- 🐛 Cannot copy and paste from the app
- 🐛 No landscape mode for iPad
- 🐛 Videos don't work
- 🐛 Lacks basic words
- 🐛 Outdated compared to website
- 🐛 No way to contact developers
- 🐛 Offline functionality removed/broken
- 🐛 Audio not working offline
- 🐛 Family sharing not showing up
- 🐛 Payment issues and confusion
- 🐛 Not practical for everyday use
- 🐛 No history of searches
- 🐛 No sentence search
- 🐛 No Cook Islands Māori support
- 🐛 Place names not included
- 🐛 Split view not supported on iPad
- 🐛 No voice translation
- 🐛 Glitches when offline (no sound)
- 🐛 Favourites list not scrollable
- 🐛 App crashes
- 🐛 App stops working on newer iOS versions
- 🐛 Videos don't work
- 🐛 Paid app with issues
- 🐛 Misleading description (offline)

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Update broke favorites list
- App crashes when searching 'tana'
- App will not open
- Videos don't work
- App resets when switching apps
- Favourites list not scrollable
- Offline functionality removed/broken
- Audio not working offline
- App no longer works with newer iOS versions
- Startup screen frozen
- App freezes frequently
- Cannot hear pronunciation
- App resets when going to another app
- No history of searches
- No sound/audio function
- App crashes
- App closes automatically when in use
- App is slow to open
- App doesn't restart itself after closing
- App doesn't work offline as advertised
- Audio icon missing offline
- App not recognizing words after upgrade
- Page not found errors

**Most requested features**

- Add fuzzy search/auto-correct
- Option to skip startup animation
- Include phrases/kiwaha
- Quizzes from English to Te Reo Māori
- Add Cook Islands Māori
- Make recent search list longer
- Add a feature to put words/phrases/grammar into custom lists/flashcards
- Downloadable voice recordings
- Add accompanying images
- Add phrases in kupu examples
- Add a button to go back to previous search
- Widget for word of the day
- Add phrases/kiwaha
- Add sentence search
- Add voice input for searching
- Add similar alternatives when spelling is wrong
- Word of the day notification
- Add pronunciation help
- Add voice recordings for pronunciation
- Raise search bar for better keyboard compatibility
- Support split screen function on iPad
- Allow copy and paste from the app
- Minimize unnecessary white space and spacers
- Add standard iOS cancel entry button to search box
- Add English to Te Reo Māori quizzes

## Recent user reviews (10 of 97)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/te-aka-maori-dictionary/id377136638/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Frustrated

*2026-08-02, version 6.0.8*

I have found the app hard to navigate when you put in a word in the search engine and it comes up with not being able to find the word try checking spelling or add other word to help the search. Im learning te reo so that can be a challenge. This has happened with more words than words that have been helpful that i search. Also when downloading the app on phone to laptop ther are 2 different prices. If you have it on your phone you cant transfer it to your laptop to use. You have to pay for both apps. One more thing when downloading the app it does not give you clear information that this is a weekly subscription or a one off. For the life of me i cant find where you unsubscribe like other subacriptions. There is not contacting email to sort out errors.

### 4/5 — Almost great

*2026-07-13*

As a learner of te reo, I use this app daily. Usually multiple times a day, in fact. It’s helpful as!

Two things could make it excellent and earn that fifth star. 

1. When you go into the app, it plays a cute animation of a tūī, and then slides the search box into place. You have to wait two seconds for this to complete before you can search for your kupu. Not a big deal at first, but when you use it hundreds or thousands of times, it gets tedious. I want to look up my word quickly. An on/off setting to show the animation or not would allow everyone to be happy. 

2. The search is only exact. If you have the spelling off at all, you get no results. Some sort of fuzzy search result like, “I couldn’t find that word. Did you mean…?” with a few choices close to my errant spelling. I mean, sometimes I’m looking something up exactly because I’m unsure of the spelling!

### 5/5 — User friendly

*2025-12-18, version 6.0.8*

I use this app every day. Love that I can save new kupu as I grow my vocab. The quiz is a great addition.

### 5/5 — Amazing

*2025-09-18, version 6.0.8*

Exactly what it says it is a māori dictionary you guys saying “there’s too many options when you type a word in” that’s the point… it’s a dictionary !! overall amazing supporting the kaupapa for te wiki o te reo māori super helpful !! Amazing quality love that you can save favourite words so I can have a kupu o Te Rā everyday

### 5/5 — Love the favourites tab and quiz function

*2025-08-16, version 6.0.8*

After a year of the quiz feature being availiable, ive just noticed it today. Great addition to the app.

### 5/5 — Bilingual examples

*2025-04-17, version 6.0.8*

Great for extending my knowledge of te reo Maori from the bilingual examples

### 5/5 — Quick response from the app team and great dictionary

*2025-03-13*

The app is one of the best - particularly being able to add words to designated lists for future review and keeping a log of learned vocabulary. It’s simply impressive.

**Developer response:** Thanks for your feedback and reporting the bug on the Favourites list!

### 5/5 — Quick response from app team and great dictionary

*2025-03-09*

The app is one of the best - particularly being able to add words to designated lists for future review and keeping a log of learned vocabulary.

**Developer response:** Thanks for your feedback and reporting the bug on the Favourites list! We will look into that and fix as soon as possible.

### 2/5 — Update broke favorites list

*2025-03-07*

The app is one of the best, especially being able to add words to designated lists. Only now since the last two updates you can no longer click on a word on your list for a definition. Clicking on it just doesn’t do anything anymore.  It would also be nice if the quizzes went from English to te reo Māori as well to quiz not only my recognition of te reo Māori words but my recall of the words as well.

**Developer response:** Thanks for your feedback and reporting the bug on the Favourites list! We will look into that and fix as soon as possible.

### 4/5 — Ka pai

*2025-01-31, version 6.0.6*

Great app I use regularly to learn te reo. Nicely designed and usually find what I’m looking for. It would be great to skip the start up animation if possible, the few seconds to load are annoying if you are in and out for a quick reference.

## Frequently asked questions about Te Aka Māori Dictionary

### What does the Te Aka Māori Dictionary app do?

The app functions as a comprehensive Māori language dictionary, allowing users to search for both Māori and English words. It includes definitions, example sentences with translations, and a vast database of Māori headword entries. It also provides encyclopedic information on cultural topics, flora, fauna, and historical figures.

### What are the key features of this app?

Key features include easy searching of Māori or English words, offline dictionary access for use without internet, the ability to save definitions to a Favourites list, example sentences with translations, and multimedia content like photographs and audio clips. It also offers detailed explanations of grammatical items, idioms, and cultural concepts.

### Is this app free to use?

Yes, the Te Aka Māori Dictionary app is available for free. Based on the provided information, there are no in-app purchases or advertisements mentioned, indicating a completely free user experience.

### Who is the target audience for this app?

This app is designed for anyone interested in the Māori language and culture. This includes students learning Māori, researchers, educators, and individuals seeking to understand New Zealand's indigenous language and heritage.

### Can I use this dictionary offline?

Yes, an offline dictionary feature is included in the app. This allows users to access the dictionary's database and definitions even when they do not have an active internet connection, making it convenient for use in various situations.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 6.0.8 — 2025-03-10

Favourites list bug fix

### 6.0.7 — 2025-02-04

Minor updates

### 6.0.6 — 2024-10-14

Fixes a number of issues with the Favourites list.

### 6.0.5 — 2024-09-26

- Added audio to quiz cards
- Minor bug fixes

### 6.0.2 — 2024-05-27

- Favourites can now be organised into folders
- A new quiz feature has been added

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## Related topics

[maori dictionary](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/maori-dictionary) · [maori-english dictionary](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/maori-english-dictionary) · [te reo māori](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/te-reo-māori)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-29.*
