Looking for practical Acholi to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Maori translation (Maori) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Maori.
Tip: pick five Maori phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Maori translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Ayo
Kia ora(ah-yo)
Naki
Ngā mihi(nah-kee)
Bok moti
Ata mārie(bok mo-tee)
Bok nongo
Pō mārie(bok non-go)
Bok obedo
Pō nui(bok oh-beh-do)
Bok ngat
Nō reira(bok ngat)
Tye kany
Ka kite anō(tye kan-yee)
Itye
Haere rā(ee-tye)
Iti ma ineno?
Ko wai tō ingoa?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ineno John
Ko John tōku ingoa(ee-neh-no John)
Iti ma inyo?
Kei te pēhea koe?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Gat ma inyo
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Nye neno.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Iti kanyim ngat?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Me pehea au e tae ki te pokapū o te tāone?(meh peh-heh-ah ow eh tie keh teh poh-kah-poo oh teh tah-oh-neh)
Konyo kuc.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Konyo kuc.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Tye kanyim.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Iti kanyim ngat?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
One ticket, please.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Nye konyo.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Kei hea e taea ai e au te hoko kāri SIM?(kay he-ah eh tah-eh ah-ee eh ow teh hoh-koh kah-ree sim)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Āe
Bila
Kāo
Kweyo
Tērā pea
Ng'ato konyo
Kei te whakaae au
Ng'ato konyo ni
Kāore au e whakaae
Okwero kany
He pai tēnā
Ika kany?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Ikwok kany?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Ng'ato konyo kany
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Tye kany
Tēnā tūrua
Ng'ato konyo
Aroha mai
Bila kany
Kāore he raru
Tye kany
Ngā mihi
Aye konyo
Hari huritau
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Atye kany bura?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Kati onyo kwo?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Nye kwo nongo?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Kik kwo gwen?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Okwang kany ici
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Okwang kany piny
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Nye konyo i map?
Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?(Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?)
Doko ici, pe?
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Nye kwo ngat?
E hia te wā e tango ana?(E hia te wā e tango ana?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Okwero keken
He tino utu tēnā(Okwero keken)
Itye keken me?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?(Itye keken me?)
Nye konyo kadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nye tye kany kwo
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.(Nye tye kany kwo)
Kaka, nyinga
Tēnā, te rīhi.(Kaka, nyinga)
Kati kany me?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?(Kati kany me?)
Nye konyo wot
He veggie ahau.(Nye konyo wot)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Iti kany
He reka tēnei.(Iti kany)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Yat ma ambulance
Karanga ki te āwhina
Nye konyo doctor
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Nye konyo wot
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Nye konyo kany kic
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Okwero ineno
E mamae ana i konei
Nye tye konyo passport
I ngaro taku pasapo
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Yat!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Ka pai te kite i a koe(Nye kany me)
Dano kany oting
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui(Dano kany oting)
Nye kany ma kany?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngatye kany report kany
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nye kany ma file kany
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana(Nye kany ma file kany)
Atye kany ma kany
Ngā mihi mo tō wā(Atye kany ma kany)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Dano kany ma kany
Me hoki au ki a koe(Dano kany ma kany)
Kany kany Friday
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.