Looking for practical Fon to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Fon 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: read the Maori line out loud three times, then cover the Fon side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Fon 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.
Nɔ́
Kia ora(nɔ́)
Mèdɔ́
Ngā mihi(mèdɔ́)
Mèdɔ́ agblɔ
Ata mārie(mèdɔ́ agblɔ)
Mèdɔ́ ɖe
Pō mārie(mèdɔ́ ɖe)
Mèdɔ́ ɖeɖe
Pō nui(mèdɔ́ ɖeɖe)
Mèdɔ́ xɔxɔ
Nō reira(mèdɔ́ xɔxɔ)
Nɔ́ wɛ
Ka kite anō(nɔ́ wɛ)
Nɔ́ wɛ ɖe
Haere rā(nɔ́ wɛ ɖe)
Nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?
Ko wai tō ingoa?(nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?)
Mè nɔ́ John
Ko John tōku ingoa(mè nɔ́ John)
Nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?
Kei te pēhea koe?(nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?)
Mèdɔ́ nɔ́
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe(mèdɔ́ nɔ́)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I gbè yé èdè Gẹ̀ẹ́sì?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Mè n'gbè yé Èdè Hindi kè.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Mè n'kó nù.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
S'il vous plaît, gbè yé kè.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Mè s'kà yé nù?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Èwé n'kà dɔ́?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Mè n'kà yé nù àlà nà?
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)
Tò n'kà kè.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Tò n'kà pɔ́.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Lè n'kà kè.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Kí n'kà dɔ́?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Mè s'kà àyé, s'il vous plaît.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Èwé n'kà mɛ́?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Mè n'kà nɔ́.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Èwé n'kà nɔ́ 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.
Ɛ
Āe(e)
Ayi
Kāo(ayi)
Mɛ
Tērā pea(me)
Mè yé
Kei te whakaae au(me ye)
Mè n'yi
Kāore au e whakaae(me n'yi)
N'kɔ nɔ
He pai tēnā(n'ko no)
N'kɔ a kɔ?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?(n'ko a ko)
I n'kɔ mɛ?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?(i n'ko me)
Mè n'kɔ mɛ
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina(me n'ko me)
Tɔ́ nɔ
Tēnā tūrua(to no)
Mè nɔ n'kɔ
Aroha mai(me no n'ko)
Ayi n'kɔ
Kāore he raru(ayi n'ko)
Mè nɔ wé
Ngā mihi(me no we)
Mè nɔ tɔ́
Hari huritau(me no to)
N'kɔ a wé dɔ
Kia pai te haerenga(n'ko a we do)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
N'ye wé train station?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
N'ye wé bus stop?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ké platform na?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Ké sa a yé?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
N'ye wé yé na?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Yé na hɛn
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Yé na hɛn gbo
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Mè wé hɛn n'ye 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?)
Tó hɛn, s'il vous plaît
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Ké sa a yé?
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.
Mè wé na?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Yè wé bɔ́ nɔ́.
He tino utu tēnā
A wé nɔ́ dɔ́?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Mè wé hɛn nɔ́?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Mè wé dɔ́ nɔ́ fɔ́.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
A wé nɔ́ bɔ́.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Sè wé bɔ́?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Mè wé kɔ́ nɔ́.
He veggie ahau.
Mè wé nɔ́ kɔ́ nɔ́.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Yè wé sɔ́.
He reka tēnei.
Mè wé nɔ́ mɛ́ nɔ́?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Mè wé nɔ́ gɔ́ nɔ́.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nɔ̀ nɔ́ wɛ́
Karanga ki te pirihimana(nɔ̀ nɔ́ wɛ́)
Nɔ̀ nɔ́ àmblans
Karanga ki te āwhina(nɔ̀ nɔ́ àmblans)
Mè hùn wá dɔ́ktɛ́
Kei te hiahia au i te rata(mè hùn wá dɔ́ktɛ́)
Mè tɔ́ dɔ́
Kei te pāngia au e te mate(mè tɔ́ dɔ́)
Mè wá nùmɛ́ kɔ́
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri(mè wá nùmɛ́ kɔ́)
Fɔ́ wɛ́ dɔ́kita nɔ́?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?(fɔ́ wɛ́ dɔ́kita nɔ́?)
A hùn nɔ́
E mamae ana i konei(a hùn nɔ́)
Mè lɔ́ mɔ́ kɔ́tɔ́
I ngaro taku pasapo(mè lɔ́ mɔ́ kɔ́tɔ́)
Kɔ́ nɔ́ nɔ́ wɛ́ mɔ́ hɔ́tɛ́l?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?(kɔ́ nɔ́ nɔ́ wɛ́ mɔ́ hɔ́tɛ́l?)
Sè!
Tautoko!(sè!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Mè wá nɔ́
Ka pai te kite i a koe(Me wa no)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui(Me to no ko so)
Nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ kó?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?(No ko so ko?)
Mè yé sɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ bɔ́
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā(Me ye so no ko bo)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ bɔ́ kɔ́
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?(Me to no ko bo ko)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ nɔ́
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana(Me to no ko so no)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ nɔ́
Ngā mihi mo tō wā(Me to no ko no)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe(Me to no ko so)
Nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ kó?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?(No ko so ko?)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́
Me hoki au ki a koe(Me to no ko so)
Nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ kó
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire(No ko so ko)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.