Looking for practical Luganda to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Maori-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda 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.
Oli otya?
Kia ora(Oli otya?)
Webale
Ngā mihi(Webale)
Osiibye otya?
Ata mārie(Osiibye otya?)
Osiibye bulungi?
Pō mārie(Osiibye bulungi?)
Osiibye otya?
Pō nui(Osiibye otya?)
Lwaki olugendo?
Nō reira(Lwaki olugendo?)
Tugenda kutya?
Ka kite anō(Tugenda kutya?)
Nkwagala
Haere rā(Nkwagala)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Ko wai tō ingoa?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Ko John tōku ingoa(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Oli otya?
Kei te pēhea koe?(Oli otya?)
Nkwagala okukulaba
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Sijja kumanya.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
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)
Nteekateeka owa city center?
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 mwoyo.
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)
Ticket emu, please.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Kiki kirekera wano?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ndi mu bubi.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
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.
Ye
Āe
Nedda
Kāo
Okwagala
Tērā pea
Nnaakuwandiika
Kei te whakaae au
Sikuwandiika
Kāore au e whakaae
Kyo kyekirungi
He pai tēnā
Otekayo ki?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Osobola okundabira?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Nfuna obuyambi
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Saba omukutu
Tēnā tūrua
Nsaba
Aroha mai
Tewali kibadde
Kāore he raru
Okwagaliza
Ngā mihi
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Hari huritau
Genda bulungi
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ekitangaala ki?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Okwetegeka kwe?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Kiri wano wansi
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Kiri mangu
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
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?)
Ggenda wano, please
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Tewali bungi 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.
Kiki ky'ekitundu?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
He tino utu tēnā
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Ekitabo, please.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
He veggie ahau.
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Ono mulungi.
He reka tēnei.
Nneetaaga menu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Mpozzi polisi
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Mpozzi ambulance
Karanga ki te āwhina
Nfuna daktari
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Bikozesa wano
E mamae ana i konei
Nfuuse passport yange
I ngaro taku pasapo
Osobola okumpa mpozzi 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.
Nkwagala okubaako
Ka pai te kite i a koe(Nkwagala okubaako)
Tugende mu nteekateeka
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui(Tugende mu nteekateeka)
Okwesiga ki?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?(Okwesiga ki?)
Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā(Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)
Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?(Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)
Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana(Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)
Webale ku ssaawa yo
Ngā mihi mo tō wā(Webale ku ssaawa yo)
Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe(Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)
Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?(Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)
Nja kukuwandiikira
Me hoki au ki a koe(Nja kukuwandiikira)
Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire(Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.