Looking for practical Shona to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Shona 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 Shona 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 Shona 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.
Mhoro
Kia ora
Ndatenda
Ngā mihi
Mangwanani akanaka
Ata mārie
Masikati akanaka
Pō mārie
Manheru akanaka
Pō nui
Usiku hwakanaka
Nō reira
Tichasangana gare gare
Ka kite anō
Sara zvakanaka
Haere rā
Zita rako ndiani?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Zita rangu ndiri John
Ko John tōku ingoa
Uri sei?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Ndinofara kukuziva
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unotaura Chirungu here?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Handinzwisisi
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Ungazvitaura zvakare here?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Chimbuzi chiripi?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta?
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)
Tendeuka kuruboshwe
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Tendeuka kurudyi
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Enda mberi
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Mari yechikwereti ingani?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Tikiti imwe, ndapota
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Iko kure here kubva pano?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ndakakanganiswa
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM?
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.
Ehe
Āe
Kwete
Kāo
Pangove
Tērā pea
Ndinobvumirana
Kei te whakaae au
Handibvumirane
Kāore au e whakaae
Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka
He pai tēnā
Unofungei?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Unogona kundibatsira here?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Ndiri kuda rubatsiro
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Mirira kwechinguva
Tēnā tūrua
Ndine urombo
Aroha mai
Hapana chakaipa
Kāore he raru
Makorokoto
Ngā mihi
Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa
Hari huritau
Iva nerwendo rwakanaka
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ndeipi puratifomu?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Inobva nenguva ipi?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Iri pedyo pano
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Iri kure nepano
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?
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?)
Mira pano, ndapota
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?
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.
Zvinodhura here?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo
He tino utu tēnā
Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Ndingada tafura yevaviri
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Chikwereti, ndapota
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Sevhisi iri mukati here?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Ndiri muvegetarian
He veggie ahau.
Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Izvi zvinonaka
He reka tēnei.
Ndingawana menyu here?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Girazi remvura, ndapota
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fonera mapurisa
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Fonera amburensi
Karanga ki te āwhina
Ndiri kuda chiremba
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndine allergic kumapundu
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Zvinorwadza pano
E mamae ana i konei
Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu
I ngaro taku pasapo
Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Rubatsiro!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndinofara kukusangana
Ka pai te kite i a koe
Ngatirongei musangano
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Tingataure mangwana here?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Ndatenda nenguva yako
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Ndichadzoka kwauri
Me hoki au ki a koe
Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu
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.