Looking for practical Maori to Tiv phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Maori phrase first, then the Tiv translation (Tiv) — 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 Tiv.
Tip: when a Tiv phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Maori 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 Maori to Tiv 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.
Kia ora
Mgbakpa
Ngā mihi
Ior na
Ata mārie
Mgbakpa u sha
Pō mārie
Mgbakpa u kpa
Pō nui
Mgbakpa u ter
Nō reira
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Ka kite anō
Kpa a joo
Haere rā
Ior a joo
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Ior m ngu?
Ko John tōku ingoa
M ngu John
Kei te pēhea koe?
Ior m nande?
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Ior m nande a joo
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?
I kpa English?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi
M nahan Hindi nahan.(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Kaore au e mohio
M nahan usha.(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Tena koa korero āta
M nahan usha kpa.(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?
I kpa a sha?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Kei hea te wharepaku?
I we a joo?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Me pehea au e tae ki te pokapū o te tāone?
Nenge a kpa a city center?(meh peh-heh-ah ow eh tie keh teh poh-kah-poo oh teh tah-oh-neh)
Huri ki mauī
Kpa a joo.(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Huri ki te taha matau
Kpa a nahan.(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Haere tika
Kpa a sha.(high-reh tee-kah)
E hia te utu?
Nenge a kpa a fare?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Kotahi te tikiti, please
I kpa a ticket, please.(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?
I we a nahan a nahan?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Kua ngaro au
M nahan sha.(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Kei hea e taea ai e au te hoko kāri SIM?
I we a kpa a SIM card?(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.
Āe
Ee
Kāo
Naa
Tērā pea
Iye
Kei te whakaae au
M na a kpa
Kāore au e whakaae
M na a kpa nahan
He pai tēnā
I kpa a kpa
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
U kpa a nahan?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
U kpa m nahan?
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
M na a kpa nahan
Tēnā tūrua
Kpa a kpa
Aroha mai
M na a kpa
Kāore he raru
Naa a kpa
Ngā mihi
I kpa a kpa
Hari huritau
A kpa a kpa
Kia pai te haerenga
U kpa a kpa
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kei hea te teihana tereina?
Ior a kpa?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Kei hea te pooti?
Ior a nyam?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ko wai te papa?
Ior a gande?(Ko wai te papa?)
He aha te wa e wehe ai?
Nenge a kpa?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Kei te tika tēnei ara?
Ior a nenge a?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Kei konei tata mai
I na kpa a.(Kei konei tata mai)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei
I na kpa a kpa.(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?
I ma ior a gande?(Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?)
Tū mai i konei, koa
Kpa a, please.(Tū mai i konei, koa)
E hia te wā e tango ana?
Nenge a kpa?(E hia te wā e tango ana?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
E hia te utu o tēnei?
Ior kwagh nahan?(ior kwagh nahan)
He tino utu tēnā
Ior u kpa a kpa(ior u kpa a kpa)
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Ior m ngu u kpa?(ior m ngu u kpa)
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Ior m gban a card?(ior m gban a card)
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
A doo a table m ngu a yô(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Ior a bill, please(ior a bill, please)
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Ior a service m nahan?(ior a service m nahan)
He veggie ahau.
A m vegetarian(a m vegetarian)
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
A m nahan a spicy food(a m nahan a spicy food)
He reka tēnei.
Ior a kpa(ior a kpa)
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Ior m gban a menu?(ior m gban a menu)
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
A glass a water, please(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Kpa a police
Karanga ki te āwhina
Kpa a ambulance
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
M ba a doctor
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
M kpa a kpa
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
M kpa a nyam
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
I kpa a hospital mza?
E mamae ana i konei
I kpa a sha
I ngaro taku pasapo
M kpa a passport m
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
I kpa a hotel m?
Tautoko!
Kpa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ka pai te kite i a koe
Ior u kpa.
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Ka a hia ikyô.
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Nî kpa u kpa?
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
M gbanor u kpe.
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
A hia nî u hia?
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
M kpa u venge.
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ior u nenge.
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
M hia u kpa.
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Ior a hia u mba?
Me hoki au ki a koe
Ka m hia u.
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.