Looking for practical Sango to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sango 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Maori-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sango 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.
Mbote
Kia ora
Mokolo
Ngā mihi
Mbote na nganga
Ata mārie
Mbote na nganga ya zanga
Pō mārie
Mbote na nganga ya sika
Pō nui
Ndeko na nganga
Nō reira
Tango na yo
Ka kite anō
Ayo
Haere rā
Nani na yo?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Nani na nga John
Ko John tōku ingoa
Oza malamu?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Mokili na yo
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
O yo na nganga English?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
O na yo na nganga Hindi na mboka.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
O na yo na mboka.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Sokou, yo na nganga na mboka.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
O tanga na mboka?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Banga na yo na ndako?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Nde na yo na banga na mboka?
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)
Kanga na mboko.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Kanga na nganga.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Kende na mboka.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Nde na yo na mboka?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Mokolo na ticket, sokou.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
O na mboka na mboka?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
O na yo na mboka.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Banga na yo na tanga 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.
O
Āe
Té
Kāo
Sâ
Tērā pea
Ngâ tî
Kei te whakaae au
Ngâ té tî
Kāore au e whakaae
O bô
He pai tēnā
Nâ tî yé?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
O kâ yé tî?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Ngâ kâ tî
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Bê na
Tēnā tūrua
Ngâ tî na
Aroha mai
Té bô
Kāore he raru
Mâ tî
Ngā mihi
Mâ na mbâ
Hari huritau
O kâ na mbê
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
O na wâ na gare?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
O na wâ na station de taxi?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
O na wâ na plateforme?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
O na tî na mbô?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
O na wâ na yâ?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
O na bô na kâ.
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
O na fâ na kâ.
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
O kâ tî na mappa?
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?)
Kâ na kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
O na tî na mbô?
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.
Mboka na yo?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Oko na mboka mingi
He tino utu tēnā(oko na mboka mingi)
Ozo na nanga mboka?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?(o zo na nanga mboka)
Naka na yeke na carte?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?(naka na yeke na carte)
Naka na table ya mibale
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.(naka na table ya mibale)
Bilan, s'il vous plaît
Tēnā, te rīhi.(bilan, s'il vous plaît)
Service ezali na yango?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?(service ezali na yango)
Nani na mboka ya nyama
He veggie ahau.(nani na mboka ya nyama)
Te na mabele ya sika, s'il vous plaît
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.(te na mabele ya sika)
Oyo ezali malamu
He reka tēnei.(oyo ezali malamu)
Naka na menu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?(naka na menu)
Bokoko ya mai, s'il vous plaît
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.(bokoko ya mai)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Banga nganga
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Banga ambulance
Karanga ki te āwhina
Mbi na doctor
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Mbi na yeke
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Mbi na alerji na kolo
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
A na hospital ya mboka?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
E yeke na mboko
E mamae ana i konei
Mbi tanga passport na ngai
I ngaro taku pasapo
O tanga hotel na ngai?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Sango!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Mbi na yo
Ka pai te kite i a koe(Mbi na yo)
Tala na yeke mboka
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Nani ti na yo?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Nde na yeke report na tî
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Oka na yeke na lobi?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
S'il vous plaît, tî na file na mî
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Mesi na yo na tî
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Nde na tî na yeke na yo
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Oka na yeke na sî na tî?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Tala na yeke na yo
Me hoki au ki a koe
Nani na lobi na vendredi
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.