Looking for practical Chichewa to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chichewa 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 Chichewa 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 Chichewa 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.
Moni
Kia ora
Zikomo
Ngā mihi
M'mawa wabwino
Ata mārie
Masana abwino
Pō mārie
Madziwabwino
Pō nui
Usiku wabwino
Nō reira
Tiwonana
Ka kite anō
Tsalani bwino
Haere rā
Dzina lako ndi ndani?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Dzina langa ndi John
Ko John tōku ingoa
Muli bwanji?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Ndikufuna kukumana nanu
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Mukulankhula Chingerezi?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Sindikumva
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?
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)
Pangani kumanzere
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Pangani kumanzere
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Pitani mwachindunji
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Ndi ndalama zingati?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Tiket imodzi, chonde
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ndakhalapo
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Ndingatengere kuti 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.
Inde
Āe
Ayi
Kāo
Mwina
Tērā pea
Ndikugwirizana
Kei te whakaae au
Sindikugwirizana
Kāore au e whakaae
Zimakoma
He pai tēnā
Mumaganiza chiyani?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Mungandithandize?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Ndikufuna thandizo
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Dikirani pang'ono
Tēnā tūrua
Ndikupemphera
Aroha mai
Palibe vuto
Kāore he raru
Zikomo
Ngā mihi
Tsiku lobadwa labwino
Hari huritau
Pita bwino
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kuti ndi kuti sitima?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ndi chigawo chiti?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Ndi nthawi iti imatenga?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Ili pafupi pano
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Ili kutali pano
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu?
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?)
Khalani pano, chonde
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?
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.
Zimatenga ndalama zingati?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri.
He tino utu tēnā
Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Chikonthe, chonde.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Ndine mvegetarian.
He veggie ahau.
Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Izi ndizochuluka.
He reka tēnei.
Ndingathe kupeza menyu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Galasi ya madzi, chonde.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fufuzani apolisi
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Fufuzani ambulansi
Karanga ki te āwhina
Ndikufuna dokotala
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ndikumva kutopa
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Kukonda apa
E mamae ana i konei
Ndapeza pasipoti yanga
I ngaro taku pasapo
Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Thandizani!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu
Ka pai te kite i a koe
Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Ndzatumiza lipoti lero
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Tingathe kulankhula mawa?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu
Me hoki au ki a koe
Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.