Looking for practical Kikongo to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kikongo 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 Kikongo 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 Kikongo 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.
Mbote
Kia ora
Mele
Ngā mihi
Mokolo mayele
Ata mārie
Mokolo ya ntango
Pō mārie
Mokolo ya mambu
Pō nui
Mokolo ya mpembe
Nō reira
Tala mosi
Ka kite anō
Tata
Haere rā
Nki yina nzo?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Nzo yami ke John
Ko John tōku ingoa
Oko wanga?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Nki ya mosi na yo
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oyo o zola kutu English?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Nkeni kanga.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Kutu wapi banzela?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?
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)
Tanda na luma.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Tanda na mambu.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Enda na mosi.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Nki mbongo ya ndako?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Ticket mosi, mokolo.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Nki feti na wapi?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Nkeni zola.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga 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.
Ewe
Āe
Te
Kāo
Kasi
Tērā pea
Nkiadi
Kei te whakaae au
Nkiadi te
Kāore au e whakaae
Oyo ke nkiadi malamu
He pai tēnā
Nkiadi nini?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Okanza kudi nki?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Nkiadi kudi nki
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Lela na nki
Tēnā tūrua
Nkiadi na nki
Aroha mai
Te na nki
Kāore he raru
Tata na nki
Ngā mihi
Mokolo ya mbote
Hari huritau
Tala na nzala ya malamu
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Wana wanga na bus?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Nki platform yai?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Yai ke nzila ya nki?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Eza na nsi ya nzo
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Eza na mosi ya nzo
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Okanisa ngai na 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?)
Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Nki ntangu yina yenda?
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.
Nki yina kudi?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Yina kele na nsi
He tino utu tēnā(yina kele na nsi)
Ona kima ki nsi?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?(ona kima ki nsi)
Ncanza kudi na kadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?(ncanza kudi na kadi)
Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.(nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi)
Kadi, ndakisa
Tēnā, te rīhi.(kadi, ndakisa)
Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?(kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na)
Ndi muvegetari
He veggie ahau.(ndi muvegetari)
Kaka mfu, ndakisa
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.(kaka mfu, ndakisa)
Yina kele na nsi
He reka tēnei.(yina kele na nsi)
Ncanza na menu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?(ncanza na menu)
Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.(ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Landa boma
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Landa ambulance
Karanga ki te āwhina
Nkeni mosi
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Nkeni na mbisi
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Wana hospital ya mbote?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Eka na nki
E mamae ana i konei
Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai
I ngaro taku pasapo
Olanda hotel na ngai?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Tala!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nzo ya kima
Ka pai te kite i a koe(Nzò ya kima)
Tukala na mbandu
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui(Tukàla na mbàndu)
Nki nsi ya ntangu?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?(Nki nsi ya ntángu?)
Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā(Ndi zòla ku sendèla nsi ya lufùlu)
Tukala na kanda se
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?(Tukàla na kànda sè?)
Tula nsi ya file ya kima
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana(Tùla nsi ya file ya kima)
Mosi na nsi ya ntangu
Ngā mihi mo tō wā(Mòsi na nsi ya ntángu)
Ndi zola ku zola na yo
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe(Ndi zòla ku zòla na yò)
Nki o zola ku zola nki?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?(Nki o zòla ku zòla nki?)
Ndi zola ku yindula na yo
Me hoki au ki a koe(Ndi zòla ku yìndula na yò)
Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire(Nsi ya kima yìna nsi ya mposò)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.