Looking for practical Venda to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Venda 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: pick five Maori phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Venda 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.
Ndi matsheloni
Kia ora
Ndi a livhuwa
Ngā mihi
Ndi matsheloni
Ata mārie
Ndi masiari
Pō mārie
Ndi madekwana
Pō nui
Ndi masiari a u fhela
Nō reira
Tshilidzi
Ka kite anō
Vhuyani
Haere rā
Ndi mini dzina lenu?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Dzina langa ndi John
Ko John tōku ingoa
Ni khou itea?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Ndi khou funa u vhuya na inwi
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ni a ṱhota ṅwambo?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
A ndi ṱhoti Hindi zwavhudi
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
A ndi ḓivhi
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Ndi ṱhanyela u ṱhota nga ṱhoho
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Ndi a ṱanga zwenezwi?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Bani hu na khotani?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Ndi ya hani u ya tsini na muṱa?
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)
Fhulu u ya shango
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Fhulu u ya ṱhoho
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Ḓi ṱhota nga ṱhoho
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Fhasi i na hani?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Ticket ye ḽa, nd please
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
I na fhasi u bva hone?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ndi a fhedza
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Ndi nga wana SIM card phi?
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.
Ee
Āe
Aih
Kāo
Ndi nga si
Tērā pea
Ndi a livhuwa
Kei te whakaae au
Ndi a sa livhuwi
Kāore au e whakaae
Izwi zwine zwa ita zwavhuya
He pai tēnā
U vhona mini?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
U nga nthusa?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Ndi na nyito
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Langa muthu
Tēnā tūrua
Ndi a humbula
Aroha mai
A hu na nḓila
Kāore he raru
Ndi a livhuwa
Ngā mihi
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha
Hari huritau
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha na u shuma
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uphi i-station ye-train?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Uphi i-bus stop?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
I-platform efani na?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Iri ngafhi?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Iyi ndi ndowei efani?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Iri khathihi na.
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Iri khulwane na.
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
U nga nanga u tshi khou vhona kha maphu?
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?)
Dzhia fhedzi, ndi khou livhuwa.
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Zwi tshi dzhia ngafhi?
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.
Zwi khou itea ngani?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Izwi ndi zwihulu.
He tino utu tēnā
Ni na zwine zwa itea nga nṱha?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Ndi nga fhira nga khadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Ndi khou ṱoḓa tafela ya vhuṱanzi.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Ndi ṱhoḓa muthu, ndapota.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Ndi na tshelete ya vhuṱanzi?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Ndi muvegetarian.
He veggie ahau.
A si na food ya vhuṱhiri, ndapota.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Izi ndi zwitukwama.
He reka tēnei.
Ndi nga ṱoḓa menu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Ndi ṱhoḓa glasi ya mvura, ndapota.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fhonelela mapolisa
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Fhonelela ambulanse
Karanga ki te āwhina
Ndi funa ngaka
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ndi a shota
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndi na u shota kha phiri
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Ndi wani hoso ya vhuṱungu?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Zwi a vha na mulalo hone
E mamae ana i konei
Ndi fhedza pasipoti yangu
I ngaro taku pasapo
U nga fhonelela hotele yangu?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Ramba!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndi khou livhuwa u vhulunga
Ka pai te kite i a koe
A ri vhe na thendo
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Ndi ngani ini u shuma na yone?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Ndi do ruma ripoti ndayani
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
A ri nga bvela phanda nga ndayo?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Ndi khou humbela u wana faele yo thomulwaho
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Ndi a livhuwa nga ha u ralo
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ndi khou takalela u shuma na inwi
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
A ni nga sumbedza nḓila iṅwe?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Ndi do bva u ya u inwi
Me hoki au ki a koe
Nḓila i khou fhela nga ṋaṅwe
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.