Looking for practical Kiga to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kiga 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 Kiga 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 Kiga 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.
Okwagala
Kia ora
Webale
Ngā mihi
Osiibye bulungi
Ata mārie
Osiibye bulungi
Pō mārie
Osiibye bulungi
Pō nui
Osiibye bulungi
Nō reira
Tugenda okukutana
Ka kite anō
Nkwagala
Haere rā
Erinnya lyo ani?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Erinnya lyange nze John
Ko John tōku ingoa
Oli otya?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Nneebwanga okukuyita
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oli muwandiika kiingereza?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Sikuwandiika Hindi bulungi.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Sikuganya.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Nkwenda okwandiika bulungi.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Osobola okuwandiika ekyo na?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Ekitanda kiki?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Nkwenda otya mu kiti?
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)
Genda ku kkono.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Genda ku ddyo.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Genda mu maaso.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Ekitundu kiki?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Ekitanda emu, nyamba.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Kiki ekitundu okuva wano?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ndi mu kwegendereza.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Nkwenda kutuuka wa 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.
Eee
Āe
Oya
Kāo
Wali
Tērā pea
Ndiinze
Kei te whakaae au
Sindiinze
Kāore au e whakaae
Ekitanga kiza
He pai tēnā
Oteka ki?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Okwetegera?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Nfuna okwetegera
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Leka akaseke
Tēnā tūrua
Ndi mwefwe
Aroha mai
Tera kintu
Kāore he raru
Nkwagala
Ngā mihi
Okwagala omwaka omukya
Hari huritau
Okwetegera mu nsi
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eri heza y'ekitabo?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Eri heza y'ekibuga?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ekiyungiriro ki?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Ekitonde ki?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Oni omukono ogw'ekirungi?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Eri wansi wano
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Eri kure wano
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Oyinza okundabira ku karita?
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?)
Mugume wano, nyabo
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Ekitanga ki?
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.
Ekitanga ki?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Ekitanga ky'ekikula
He tino utu tēnā(ekitanga ky'ekikula)
Oli n'ekintu ekirungi?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?(oli n'ekintu ekirungi)
Nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?(nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi)
Nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.(nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri)
Ekitabo, nyabo
Tēnā, te rīhi.(ekitabo, nyabo)
Okwetegereza kuli mu?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?(okwetegereza kuli mu)
Ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya
He veggie ahau.(ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya)
Tewali ebyokulya ebikalu
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.(tewali ebyokulya ebikalu)
Ekitanga ky'ekyokulya
He reka tēnei.(ekitanga ky'ekyokulya)
Nkwenda okufuna omukutu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?(nkwenda okufuna omukutu)
Ekitanda ky'amazi, nyabo
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.(ekitanda ky'amazi, nyabo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Funa polisi
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Funa ambulance
Karanga ki te āwhina
Nkeneye omuganga
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ndi mu bubi
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndi na allergy ku nkuzi
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Ehe hospital ey'ekyenkya?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Bikunyumya wano
E mamae ana i konei
Nfunye passport yange
I ngaro taku pasapo
Okwesiga okufuna hotel yange?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Mbadde!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nishimwe kuganira
Ka pai te kite i a koe(Nishimwe kuganira)
Tugende mu nama
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Ni ryari byakugendekera?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Twashobora kuganira ejo?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hamwe
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Urakoze ku mwanya wawe
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ntegereje gukorana nawe
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Wansobanurira icyo?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Nzakugarukaho
Me hoki au ki a koe
Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu
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.