Looking for practical Bambara to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara 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: when a Maori phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Bambara wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara 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.
I ni ce
Kia ora
I ni sogoma
Ngā mihi
I ni bɔ
Ata mārie
I ni kɛ
Pō mārie
I ni sɔgɔ
Pō nui
I ni tulu
Nō reira
N bɛ se ka
Ka kite anō
A bɛ se ka
Haere rā
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Ko John tōku ingoa
I ni fɛ?
Kei te pēhea koe?
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni ce English?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
N mɔgɔ bɛ
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
I ka fɔ a la?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Bamanakan kɛn na?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?
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)
Kɛlɛn bɔ
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Fɔ kɛlɛn
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Fɛ kɛ?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Kɛnɛ ticket, please
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
N tɛ bɔ
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?
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
Ala
Kāo
Bara
Tērā pea
N bɛ bɔ
Kei te whakaae au
N bɛ fɔ
Kāore au e whakaae
I bɛ sɛbɛn
He pai tēnā
I ka fɛ kɛ?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Sira kɛ
Tēnā tūrua
N tɛgɛ
Aroha mai
Ala ka fɔ
Kāore he raru
I ni kɛ
Ngā mihi
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Hari huritau
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
I ni tîgê kô?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Kô tîgê bô?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
I ni tîgê bô?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
I tîgê kâ.
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
I tîgê kâ fô.
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
I bô kô tîgê fô?
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?)
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Kô tîgê kô?
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.
I ni ce?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
He tino utu tēnā
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
He veggie ahau.
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
I ye sɔgɔ.
He reka tēnei.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ
Karanga ki te pirihimana(nogo folo)
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ
Karanga ki te āwhina(nogo koro)
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Kei te hiahia au i te rata(n be soro)
N bɛ tɛgɛn
Kei te pāngia au e te mate(n be tegen)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri(n be folokele)
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?(n be koro folo)
I tɛgɛ fɛ
E mamae ana i konei(i tege fe)
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
I ngaro taku pasapo(n be kele folo)
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?(i be nogo koro folo)
Tɛgɛ!
Tautoko!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ
Ka pai te kite i a koe(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
I ni bɔ a la?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?(I ni bɔ a la?)
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ
Ngā mihi mo tō wā(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ
Me hoki au ki a koe(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.