Looking for practical Mam to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam 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 Mam 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 Mam 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.
Xo'j
Kia ora(sho'j)
Tz'ik
Ngā mihi(tz'ik)
Xo'j nax
Ata mārie(sho'j nax)
Xo'j q'ij
Pō mārie(sho'j q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Pō nui(sho'j k'ux)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Nō reira(sho'j k'ux nax)
K'ux q'ij
Ka kite anō(k'ux q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Haere rā(sho'j k'ux)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Ko wai tō ingoa?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Ko John tōku ingoa(ha' k'ux nax John)
Jach' k'ux?
Kei te pēhea koe?(hach' k'ux?)
Nab' k'ux
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
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)
K'utun k'ux.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
K'utun k'ux.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
K'utun k'ux.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun 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.
Juj
Āe(hoo)
Man
Kāo(mah)
K'ux
Tērā pea(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Kei te whakaae au(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Kāore au e whakaae(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
He pai tēnā(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Tēnā tūrua(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Aroha mai(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
Kāore he raru(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Ngā mihi(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Hari huritau(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Kia pai te haerenga(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
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?)
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
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.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
He tino utu tēnā(K'ux ri' k'ulub'?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Tēnā, te rīhi.(Ri' k'ulub', por favor)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
He veggie ahau.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
He reka tēnei.(K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxik la policía
Karanga ki te pirihimana
K'uxik un ambulancia
Karanga ki te āwhina
Nek' a doctor
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
K'utun k'ax
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
E mamae ana i konei
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
I ngaro taku pasapo
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
¡Ayuda!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Ka pai te kite i a koe(chee-k'oh chahb'eh)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui(kah-hee k'ah-wik ree kool-bahl)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?(k'oot ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā(een kah-hee ree kee-k'oh ch'eech')
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree kee-k'oh kahy)
Ch'awik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana(ch'ah-wik ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
Tz'ib'ej ri k'utal
Ngā mihi mo tō wā(tzee-beh-eh ree k'oo-tahl)
In k'axik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe(een kah-hee ree kool-bahl kah-hee)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'utal?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree k'oo-tahl)
K'axik in k'axik ch'awik
Me hoki au ki a koe(kah-hee een kah-hee ch'ah-wik)
Ri k'utal k'axik k'ay
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire(ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee kahy)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.