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Common Maori to Xhosa phrases

100 practical Maori to Xhosa phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Maori to Xhosa phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Maori phrase first, then the Xhosa translation (Xhosa) — 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 Xhosa.

Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Xhosa-speaking trip in a few weeks.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Maori to Xhosa 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.

  1. Kia ora

    Molo

  2. Ngā mihi

    Enkosi

  3. Ata mārie

    Ubusuku obuhle

  4. Pō mārie

    Ubusuku obuhle

  5. Pō nui

    Ubusuku obuhle

  6. Nō reira

    Lala ngoxolo

  7. Ka kite anō

    Ndiza kubonana kamva

  8. Haere rā

    Hamba kakuhle

  9. Ko wai tō ingoa?

    Ngubani igama lakho?

  10. Ko John tōku ingoa

    Igama lam nguJohn

  11. Kei te pēhea koe?

    Unjani?

  12. He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe

    Kuhle ukukwazi

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?

    Uthetha isiNgesi? (kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)

  2. Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi

    Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle (kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)

  3. Kaore au e mohio

    Andiqondi (kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)

  4. Tena koa korero āta

    Nceda thethe kancinci (teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)

  5. Ka taea e koe te korero ano?

    Ungakuphinda lokho? (kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)

  6. Kei hea te wharepaku?

    Iphi ibhafu? (kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)

  7. Me pehea au e tae ki te pokapū o te tāone?

    Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu? (meh peh-heh-ah ow eh tie keh teh poh-kah-poo oh teh tah-oh-neh)

  8. Huri ki mauī

    Jolisa kwesokunxele (hoo-ree kee mow-ee)

  9. Huri ki te taha matau

    Jolisa kwesokudla (hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)

  10. Haere tika

    Hamba ngqo (high-reh tee-kah)

  11. E hia te utu?

    Iholo ingakanani? (eh hee-ah teh oo-too)

  12. Kotahi te tikiti, please

    Ithikithi elinye, nceda (koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)

  13. Kei tawhiti mai i konei?

    Ingakanani ukusuka apha? (kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)

  14. Kua ngaro au

    Ndilahlekile (koo-ah nah-roh ow)

  15. Kei hea e taea ai e au te hoko kāri SIM?

    Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM 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.

  1. Āe

    Ewe

  2. Kāo

    Hayi

  3. Tērā pea

    Mhlawumbi

  4. Kei te whakaae au

    Ndiyavuma

  5. Kāore au e whakaae

    Andivumi

  6. He pai tēnā

    Okuhle

  7. He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?

    Ucinga ntoni?

  8. Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?

    Ungandinceda?

  9. Kei te hiahia au i te awhina

    Ndidinga uncedo

  10. Tēnā tūrua

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Aroha mai

    Ndicela uxolo

  12. Kāore he raru

    Akukho ngxaki

  13. Ngā mihi

    Wamkelekile

  14. Hari huritau

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. Kia pai te haerenga

    Uhambo olukhuselekileyo

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Kei hea te teihana tereina?

    Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo? (uphi umphakathi wemithwalo)

  2. Kei hea te pooti?

    Uphi umphakathi weebhasi? (uphi umphakathi weebhasi)

  3. Ko wai te papa?

    Yeyiphi iphondo? (yeyiphi iphondo)

  4. He aha te wa e wehe ai?

    Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani? (ihamba ngexesha elingakanani)

  5. Kei te tika tēnei ara?

    Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo? (ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo)

  6. Kei konei tata mai

    Ikho kufutshane apha (Kei konei tata mai)

  7. Kei tawhiti mai i konei

    Ikude apha (Kei tawhiti mai i konei)

  8. Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?

    Ungandibonisa kwiimeko? (ungandibonisa kwiimeko)

  9. Tū mai i konei, koa

    Misa apha, nceda (Tū mai i konei, koa)

  10. E hia te wā e tango ana?

    Ithatha ixesha elingakanani? (E hia te wā e tango ana?)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. E hia te utu o tēnei?

    Ithini le mali? (ehia te utu o tei nei)

  2. He tino utu tēnā

    Le mali ibiza kakhulu.

  3. Kei a koe he mea iti ake?

    Unayo into engabizi?

  4. Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?

    Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?

  5. E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.

    Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.

  6. Tēnā, te rīhi.

    Ibhili, nceda.

  7. Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?

    Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?

  8. He veggie ahau.

    Ndiyavegetarian.

  9. Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.

    Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.

  10. He reka tēnei.

    Oku kumnandi.

  11. Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?

    Ndingafumana imenyu?

  12. Tēnā, he karaihe wai.

    Ingxube ye water, nceda.

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Karanga ki te pirihimana

    Biza uphondo

  2. Karanga ki te āwhina

    Biza i-ambulensi

  3. Kei te hiahia au i te rata

    Ndifuna ugqirha

  4. Kei te pāngia au e te mate

    Ndiziva ndingalunganga

  5. He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri

    Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts

  6. Kei hea te hōhipera tata?

    Uphi umphakathi oseduze?

  7. E mamae ana i konei

    Kubuhlungu apha

  8. I ngaro taku pasapo

    Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam

  9. Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?

    Ungabiza ihotele yam?

  10. Tautoko!

    Uncedo!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Ka pai te kite i a koe

    Kuhle ukukwazi

  2. Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui

    Masihlele umhlangano

  3. He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?

    Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?

  4. Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā

    Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje

  5. Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?

    Singathetha ngomso?

  6. Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana

    Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo

  7. Ngā mihi mo tō wā

    Enkosi ngexesha lakho

  8. Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe

    Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

  9. Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?

    Ungacacisa le ndawo?

  10. Me hoki au ki a koe

    Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe

  11. Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire

    Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. He aha te wā?

    Yintoni ixesha? (Yin-toh-nee ikh-leh-zah?)

  2. E toru karaka

    Iiyure ezintathu (Ee-yoo-reh e-zin-tah-thu)

  3. I tēnei rā

    Namhlanje (Nam-hlan-je)

  4. Āpōpō

    Manga (Man-gah)

  5. Ināianei

    Izolo (Ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Māhina

    Mvulo (M-vu-lo)

  7. Tūrei

    Lwesibini (Lwe-si-bi-nee)

  8. Rāapa

    Lwesithathu (Lwe-si-tha-thu)

  9. Tahi

    Ene (Eh-neh)

  10. Rua

    Mbini (M-bee-nee)

  11. Toru

    Thathu (Thah-thu)

  12. Tekau

    Ishumi (Ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Kotahi rau

    Ishumi elinye (Ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-yeh)

  14. Hāwhe

    Umgama (Um-gah-mah)

  15. Tahi atu

    Ngaphezulu (Ngah-peh-zulu)

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