Looking for practical Tetum to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum 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: when a Maori phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tetum 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 Tetum 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.
Olá
Kia ora
Obrigadu
Ngā mihi
Bondia
Ata mārie
Bona tarde
Pō mārie
Bona noite
Pō nui
Bona noite
Nō reira
Ami hanesan
Ka kite anō
Adeus
Haere rā
Quale naran ida?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Naran hau John.
Ko John tōku ingoa
Kona ba o?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Diak ba halo ho o.
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Hau la hatene.
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Favor fala ba moris.
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Keta bele fala fali?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Onde mak banheira?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
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)
Virar ba hadau.
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Virar ba direita.
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Baa diretamente.
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Iha ne'e barak?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Ticket ida, favor.
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Hau nune'e.
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Onde mak hau bele compra 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.
Sim
Āe
La
Kāo
Talvez
Tērā pea
Hau hakarak
Kei te whakaae au
Hau la hakarak
Kāore au e whakaae
Nia mak diak
He pai tēnā
Ita nian ideia sa?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Hau precisa ajuda
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Hakarak momentu
Tēnā tūrua
Hau mós
Aroha mai
La problema
Kāore he raru
Parabens
Ngā mihi
Parabens ba aniversario
Hari huritau
Hau haruka viagen diak
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Hora ne'e sai?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Iha ne'e perto
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Iha ne'e laran
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Kona ba 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?)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Kona tempu hira?
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.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Esa mak baratu demais.
He tino utu tēnā
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Fatu, por favor.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Servisu iha ka?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Hau vegetarian.
He veggie ahau.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Esa mak saboru.
He reka tēnei.
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Kopa agua, por favor.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Liga ba ambulansia
Karanga ki te āwhina
Hau precisa doutor
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Hau sente sick
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Hau iha alergia ba karu
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
E mamae ana i konei
Hau hasai passport
I ngaro taku pasapo
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Help!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Ka pai te kite i a koe
Kita halo reunião
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Hau sei volta ba ita
Me hoki au ki a koe
Prazo mak sexta-feira
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.