Phrases |
'Useful' phrases |
Idioms |
Tongue twisters |
Language-related proverbs
A collection of useful phrases in Māori. Click on the English phrases to see them in many other languages.
Guide to abbreviations: inf = informal, frm = formal, sg = singular (to one person), dl = dual (to two people), pl = plural (to three or more people).
| English | te Reo Māori (Māori) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Haere mai / Nau mai |
| Hello | Kia ora, Kia ora rā kōrua (dl) Kia ora koutou (pl) Tēnā koe (sg) Tēnā kōrua (dl) Tēnā koutou (pl) |
| How are you? I'm fine, thanks. And you? |
Kei te pehea koe? |
| Kei te pai | |
| What's your name? My name is ... |
Ko wai tou ingoa? |
| Ko ... ahau | |
| Where are you from? I'm from ... |
No hea koe? |
| No ... ahau | |
| Good morning | Kia ora, Ata marie, Mōrena |
| Good afternoon/evening | Kia ora |
| Good night | Pō mārie |
| Goodbye | E noho ra (said by person leaving) E haere ra (said by person staying) Hei kona ra (inf) |
| I don't understand | Kahore e mohio au / Aroha mai |
| Do you speak Māori? | Kōrero mai i te Reo Māori? |
| Excuse me/Sorry | Aroha mai |
| How much is this? | E hia te utu? |
| Thank you | usually expressed through rising intonation or Kia ora |
| I love you | Kei te aroha au i a koe |
| Leave me alone! | Haere atu! |
| Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year |
Kia orana e kia manuia rava i teia Kiritimeti e te Mataiti Ou |
| Happy Birthday | Rā whānau koa! Kia huritau ki a koe! |
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, please contact me.
Information about written and spoken Māori
Other collections of Māori phrases (some with audio)
http://www.korero.maori.nz/forlearners
http://www.maorilanguage.net/phrase_drills/
http://www.maori.org.nz/kotereo/
http://www.day12.com/phrasebook_maori.htm
Chamorro, Fijian, Hawaiian, Indonesian, Javanese, Malay, Maori, Tagalog
Copyright 1998- Simon Ager