Looking for practical Tumbuka to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tumbuka 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 Tumbuka 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.
Moni
Kia ora
Zikomo
Ngā mihi
Muli bwanji
Ata mārie
Muli bwanji
Pō mārie
Muli bwanji
Pō nui
Usiku wabwino
Nō reira
Tiwonana
Ka kite anō
Tsalani bwino
Haere rā
Dzina lanu ndi ndani?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Dzina langa ndi John
Ko John tōku ingoa
Muli bwanji?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Muli ndi Chingerezi?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Sindikumva
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Chonde yankhulani pang'ono
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Mungandiyankhulepo?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Kuti ndi kuti?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu?
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)
Pita kumanzere
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Pita kumanja
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Pita mwendo
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Ndi ndalama zingati?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Tiketi imodzi, chonde
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ndakhalapo
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Ndingatengere kuti kuti 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.
Iye
Āe
Ayi
Kāo
Pang'ono
Tērā pea
Ndikugwirizana
Kei te whakaae au
Sindikugwirizana
Kāore au e whakaae
Ichi chimaoneka bwino
He pai tēnā
Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Mungandithandize?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Ndikufuna thandizo
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Dikirani pang’ono
Tēnā tūrua
Ndikupemphera
Aroha mai
Palibe vutoli
Kāore he raru
Zikomo
Ngā mihi
Tsiku lobadwa labwino
Hari huritau
Pita bwino pa ulendo
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ndi chigawo chiti?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Nanga nthawi itangopita?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Iyi ndi pafupi apa
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Mungandionetse pa chithunzi?
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?)
Chimitsa apa, chonde
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?
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.
Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa
He tino utu tēnā(iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)
Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?(muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo)
Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?(ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)
Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.(ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri)
Chikalata, chonde
Tēnā, te rīhi.(chikalata, chonde)
Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?(ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)
Ndine wopanda nyama
He veggie ahau.(ndine wopanda nyama)
Chonde, osati chakudya chothira
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.(chonde, osati chakudya chothira)
Iyi ndi yokoma
He reka tēnei.(iyi ndi yokoma)
Ningathe kupeza menyu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?(ningathe kupeza menyu)
Galasi ya madzi, chonde
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.(galasi ya madzi, chonde)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fufuzani polisi
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Fufuzani ambulansi
Karanga ki te āwhina
Ndikufuna dokotala
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ndikuwona bwino
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Kuli kuuma apa
E mamae ana i konei
Ndasowa pasipoti yangu
I ngaro taku pasapo
Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Thandizani!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndalumba kukumana nanu
Ka pai te kite i a koe
Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Tingathe kulankhula mawa?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni
Me hoki au ki a koe
Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu
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.