Looking for practical Dinka to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka 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 Dinka 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.
Yaaŋ
Kia ora(yaaŋ)
Ajak
Ngā mihi(ajak)
Bäny äyö
Ata mārie(bäny äyö)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Pō mārie(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bäny nyin
Pō nui(bäny nyin)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Nō reira(bäny kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Ka kite anō(yin kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Haere rā(yin kɛ̈l)
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?
Ko wai tō ingoa?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nin yïn John
Ko John tōku ingoa(nin yïn John)
Kɛ̈l yïn?
Kei te pēhea koe?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Aye nyin kɔc.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Yin wic ke nyin?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
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)
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Cɔl kɛ thon?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Kɛl thok, yin.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Aye nyin thok.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
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
Naa
Kāo
Cok
Tērā pea
Aye nyin
Kei te whakaae au
Naa nyin
Kāore au e whakaae
Käth aŋöör
He pai tēnā
Käŋ aŋöör?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Käŋ aŋöör
Tēnā tūrua
Aye kɛ̈l
Aroha mai
Naa kɛ̈l
Kāore he raru
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Ngā mihi
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Hari huritau
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Cïïr yïnë kël?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Këc yïnë kël?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Këc kël yïnë?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?
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?)
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
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.
Kuoth ke nyin?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r
He tino utu tēnā(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Kɛ́l, please
Tēnā, te rīhi.(kɛ́l, please)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Aye ke nyin a kɔc
He veggie ahau.(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Nyaak ke aŋɔr
He reka tēnei.(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.(aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Karanga ki te āwhina
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
A jɛt kɔc
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
E mamae ana i konei
A lɔst pɑspɔt
I ngaro taku pasapo
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Yɛɛr!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Yin ke nyin
Ka pai te kite i a koe(Yin ke nyin)
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Cieng nyin ke jieng?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t
Ngā mihi mo tō wā(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t
Me hoki au ki a koe(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.