Looking for practical Luo to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luo 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 Luo 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.
Naki
Kia ora(Naki)
Asante
Ngā mihi(Asante)
Naki chuo
Ata mārie(Naki chuo)
Naki ng'ato
Pō mārie(Naki ng'ato)
Naki owadgi
Pō nui(Naki owadgi)
Naki buya
Nō reira(Naki buya)
Ting' kendo
Ka kite anō(Ting' kendo)
Naki
Haere rā(Naki)
Ine ng'ama in?
Ko wai tō ingoa?(Ine ng'ama in?)
Inyalo John
Ko John tōku ingoa(Inyalo John)
Okwere?
Kei te pēhea koe?(Okwere?)
Naki konyo
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe(Naki konyo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Naki konyo English?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Naki konyo Hindi mako.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Nyingi.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Tende konyo chalo.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Naki konyo to?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Ith gi toilet?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Ning'eyo konyo 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)
Konyo chike.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Konyo duto.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Yie chalo.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Ning'eyo koro?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Ticket moko, ndalo.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Nia ng'ato kendo?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Nin gi chalo.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Ith gi 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.
Ee
Āe
Ayi
Kāo
Kaka
Tērā pea
Akwong'
Kei te whakaae au
Ayi Akwong'
Kāore au e whakaae
Ong'eyo
He pai tēnā
Ine owuon?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Naki gi chalo?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Nind gi chalo
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Chakre
Tēnā tūrua
Naki
Aroha mai
Ayi koro
Kāore he raru
Naki chalo
Ngā mihi
Naki buo
Hari huritau
Naki chalo gi chalo
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Naki yieng' ma train?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Naki yieng' ma bus?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Naki platform ng'eyo?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Naki koro ng'ato?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Niko neno.
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Niko piny.
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Okwong' ni on 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?)
Dhi here, please.
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Naki koro ng'ato?
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.
Nia ni?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Owino ni gi chalo.
He tino utu tēnā
I konyo kanyo?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Inyalo nind gi kad?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Nin gi chula mar duong'.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Chakruok, plis.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Isango ni gi?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Nin gi vegeterian.
He veggie ahau.
Naki chalo chalo, plis.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Owino ni gi dho.
He reka tēnei.
Inyalo nind gi menu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Gik konyo mar maji, plis.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nedhi polisi
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Nedhi ambulance
Karanga ki te āwhina
Aneedo daktari
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Akwong' gi chalo
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
An gi allergy kuom peanuts
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Naki hospital mar koro?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Okwong' mana
E mamae ana i konei
Nying' my passport
I ngaro taku pasapo
Inyalo nedhi hotel ang'wen?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Konyo!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Naki konyo
Ka pai te kite i a koe(Naki konyo)
Nying' konyo joma
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui(Nying' konyo joma)
Naki konyo nigi?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?(Naki konyo nigi?)
Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā(Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka)
Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?(Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?)
Chieng' ni file ni
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana(Chieng' ni file ni)
Asante gi chako
Ngā mihi mo tō wā(Asante gi chako)
Nying' konyo gi nyaka
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe(Nying' konyo gi nyaka)
Ning'eyo konyo ni?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?(Ning'eyo konyo ni?)
Ning'eyo konyo nind gi
Me hoki au ki a koe(Ning'eyo konyo nind gi)
Dede ni Friday
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire(Dede ni Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.