Looking for practical Bemba to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba 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 Bemba 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 Bemba 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.
Shani
Kia ora
Natotela
Ngā mihi
Muli shani
Ata mārie
Muli shani
Pō mārie
Muli shani
Pō nui
Shalenipo bwino
Nō reira
Tukakutana
Ka kite anō
Twalumba
Haere rā
Iwe ulishani?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Ndefwaya John
Ko John tōku ingoa
Uli bwanji?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Nashitasha kukumona
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Ningaloleleko?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Ningalileka shani 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)
Fumya kumwendo
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Fumya kumwendo
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Enda pamo
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Ticket imwe, nomba
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ndi lost
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Ili kuti nindeke 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.
Eya
Āe
Awe
Kāo
Panga
Tērā pea
Ndi bwino
Kei te whakaae au
Ndi bwino na
Kāore au e whakaae
Ilyo lishibukile
He pai tēnā
Uchite shani?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Ushakufwa?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Leka ifi
Tēnā tūrua
Nshakufwa
Aroha mai
Takwaba shani
Kāore he raru
Nshakufwa bwino
Ngā mihi
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Hari huritau
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Ninshi ikalamba?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Ili pamo na pano.
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Ili lishilu na pano.
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Ushibukishe pa mape?
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?)
Leka pano, chonde.
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Kuli shani?
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.
Ili shani?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Ili lya kuli
He tino utu tēnā(Ili lya kuli)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?(Muli na chimo chibulu?)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?(Ningakupanga na kadi?)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.(Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)
Icilanga, tapali
Tēnā, te rīhi.(Icilanga, tapali)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?(Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)
Ndi mvegetarian
He veggie ahau.(Ndi mvegetarian)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.(Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)
Ili lya bwino
He reka tēnei.(Ili lya bwino)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?(Ningakonda ifyalo?)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.(Icupa ca mvula, tapali)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Tuma ambulance
Karanga ki te āwhina
Nshikala na doctor
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Nshikala bwino
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Kuli ububi pano
E mamae ana i konei
Nashitile passport yangu
I ngaro taku pasapo
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Chikondi!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Ka pai te kite i a koe(na-sha-mu-ke-ni)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā(ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?(twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana(nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)
Natotela pa nshita
Ngā mihi mo tō wā(na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe(ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?(wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)
Nizakukumbusha
Me hoki au ki a koe(ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire(i-shi-na lya-ku-pe-la ni Lwa-pu-la)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.