However, it can be used figuratively to refer to a "house" or even a "dwelling". This is because Māori language is very context-dependent.
Here are some examples:
* "He pai te ruma" - This means "The room is nice."
* "Kei te ruma ahau" - This means "I am in the house."
* "E hanga ana e ratou he ruma hou" - This means "They are building a new house."
So, while "ruma" literally means "room", it can be understood as "house" depending on the context.