Looking for practical Xhosa to Maori phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Xhosa 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 Xhosa 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 Xhosa 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.
Molo
Kia ora
Enkosi
Ngā mihi
Ubusuku obuhle
Ata mārie
Ubusuku obuhle
Pō mārie
Ubusuku obuhle
Pō nui
Lala ngoxolo
Nō reira
Ndiza kubonana kamva
Ka kite anō
Hamba kakuhle
Haere rā
Ngubani igama lakho?
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Igama lam nguJohn
Ko John tōku ingoa
Unjani?
Kei te pēhea koe?
Kuhle ukukwazi
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uthetha isiNgesi?
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Andiqondi
Kaore au e mohio(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Nceda thethe kancinci
Tena koa korero āta(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Ungakuphinda lokho?
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Iphi ibhafu?
Kei hea te wharepaku?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?
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)
Jolisa kwesokunxele
Huri ki mauī(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Jolisa kwesokudla
Huri ki te taha matau(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Hamba ngqo
Haere tika(high-reh tee-kah)
Iholo ingakanani?
E hia te utu?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Ithikithi elinye, nceda
Kotahi te tikiti, please(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Ingakanani ukusuka apha?
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Ndilahlekile
Kua ngaro au(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM 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.
Ewe
Āe
Hayi
Kāo
Mhlawumbi
Tērā pea
Ndiyavuma
Kei te whakaae au
Andivumi
Kāore au e whakaae
Okuhle
He pai tēnā
Ucinga ntoni?
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Ungandinceda?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Ndidinga uncedo
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Linda umzuzu
Tēnā tūrua
Ndicela uxolo
Aroha mai
Akukho ngxaki
Kāore he raru
Wamkelekile
Ngā mihi
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Hari huritau
Uhambo olukhuselekileyo
Kia pai te haerenga
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo?
Kei hea te teihana tereina?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Uphi umphakathi weebhasi?
Kei hea te pooti?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Yeyiphi iphondo?
Ko wai te papa?(Ko wai te papa?)
Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani?
He aha te wa e wehe ai?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo?
Kei te tika tēnei ara?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Ikho kufutshane apha
Kei konei tata mai(Kei konei tata mai)
Ikude apha
Kei tawhiti mai i konei(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Ungandibonisa kwiimeko?
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?)
Misa apha, nceda
Tū mai i konei, koa(Tū mai i konei, koa)
Ithatha ixesha elingakanani?
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.
Ithini le mali?
E hia te utu o tēnei?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
Le mali ibiza kakhulu.
He tino utu tēnā
Unayo into engabizi?
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Ibhili, nceda.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Ndiyavegetarian.
He veggie ahau.
Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Oku kumnandi.
He reka tēnei.
Ndingafumana imenyu?
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Ingxube ye water, nceda.
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Biza uphondo
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Biza i-ambulensi
Karanga ki te āwhina
Ndifuna ugqirha
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Ndiziva ndingalunganga
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Uphi umphakathi oseduze?
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Kubuhlungu apha
E mamae ana i konei
Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam
I ngaro taku pasapo
Ungabiza ihotele yam?
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
Uncedo!
Tautoko!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Kuhle ukukwazi
Ka pai te kite i a koe
Masihlele umhlangano
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Singathetha ngomso?
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Enkosi ngexesha lakho
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Ungacacisa le ndawo?
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe
Me hoki au ki a koe
Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu
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.