Looking for practical Samoan to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Samoan 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: read the Maori line out loud three times, then cover the Samoan side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Samoan 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.
Talofa
Kia ora
Fa'amolemole
Ngā mihi
Talofa i le taeao
Ata mārie
Talofa i le afiafi
Pō mārie
Talofa i le po
Pō nui
O le po lelei
Nō reira
Fa'afetai
Ka kite anō
Tofa
Haere rā
O ai lou igoa?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
O lo'u igoa o John
Ko John tōku ingoa
O a mai oe?
Kei te pēhea koe?
O le fiafia e feiloa'i ma oe
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
E te tautala i le Igilisi?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
E le mafai ona ou tautala i le Hindi lelei
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
E le mafai ona ou malamalama
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Fa'amolemole tautala i se fa'atekinolosi
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
E mafai ona e fa'atekinolosi?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
O fea le umukuka?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
E fa'apefea ona ou o'o i le ogatotonu o le aai?
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)
Tali i le itu mauga
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Tali i le itu i matu
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
O le ala i le fa'atekinolosi
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
E fia le tau o le ta'avale?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
O se tiketi, fa'amolemole
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
E mamao mai iinei?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ua ou leiloa
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
O fea e mafai ai ona ou fa'atau se ka'a 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.
Ioe
Āe
Leai
Kāo
Atonu
Tērā pea
O le fa'amaonia
Kei te whakaae au
O le fa'amaonia e le o ia
Kāore au e whakaae
E lelei le fa'ailoa
He pai tēnā
O le a sou manatu?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
E mafai ona e fesoasoani mai ia te a'u?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
E manaʻomia le fesoasoani
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Fa'amolemole taofi se moment
Tēnā tūrua
Fa'amolemole, ou te fa'amalie atu
Aroha mai
E leai se fa'aletonu
Kāore he raru
Fa'afetai
Ngā mihi
Manuia le aso fanau
Hari huritau
Ia manuia lau malaga
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
O fea le nofoaga o le taavale vae?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
O fea le nofoaga taofi o le autobus?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
O le fea le tulaga?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
O le a le taimi e alu ai?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
O le ala saʻo lenei?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
E latalata iinei
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
E mamao mai iinei
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
E mafai ona e fa'aali mai i le 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?)
Taofi iinei, fa'amolemole
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
E fia le taimi e alu ai?
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.
E fia le tau o lenei?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
O le tau o ia o lo'o maualuga.
He tino utu tēnā
E iai ni mea e sili atu le taugofie?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
E mafai ona ou totogi i le kaadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Ou te mana'o i se laulau mo le lua.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Fa'amolemole, le pili.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
O lo'o aofia i le auaunaga?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
O a'u o se tagata 'ai fa'avae i le la'au.
He veggie ahau.
E leai ni mea 'ai vevela, fa'amolemole.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
E manaia lenei.
He reka tēnei.
E mafai ona ou maua le menu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Fa'amolemole, se ipu vai.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Faafesootai leoleo
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Faafesootai se ambulanse
Karanga ki te āwhina
E tatau ia te aʻu se fomaʻi
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
O loʻu lagona e le lelei
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
O aʻu e i ai le allergy i fatu peni
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
O fea le falemaʻi e sili ona lata mai?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
E tiga iinei
E mamae ana i konei
Ua ou leiloa laʻu pasese
I ngaro taku pasapo
E mafai ona e faafesootai laʻu otel?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Fa'amolemole!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
O le fiafia e feiloai i le fa'avae
Ka pai te kite i a koe(O le fiafia e feiloai)
Se'i o tatou fa'ata'ita'iga se fonotaga
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
O le a le taimi e lelei mo oe?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
O le a ou auina atu le lipoti i le aso
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
E mafai ona tatou talanoa i le taeao?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Fa'amolemole, fa'aaoga le fa'amaumauga i le fa'amaumauga
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Fa'afetai mo lou taimi
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
O lo'o ou fa'atali e galulue fa'atasi ma oe
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
E mafai ona e fa'amaonia le fa'avae?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Se'i o'u toe fo'i atu i le fa'avae
Me hoki au ki a koe
O le taimi e ta'ita'ia ai o le Aso Faraile
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.