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/frm) Tēnā kōrua (dl/frm) Tēnā koutou (pl/frm) |
| How are you? I'm fine, thanks. And you? |
Kei te pēhea koe? |
| Kei te pai | |
| Long time no see | He roa te wā kua kitea |
| What's your name? My name is ... |
Ko wai tōu ingoa? |
| Ko ... ahau | |
| Where are you from? I'm from ... |
Nō hea koe? |
| Nō ... ahau | |
| Good morning | Kia ora, Ata mārie, Mōrena |
| Good afternoon/evening | Kia ora |
| Good night | Pō mārie |
| Goodbye | E noho rā (said by person leaving) E haere rā (said by person staying) Hei kona rā (inf) |
| Good luck | Kia waimarie |
| Cheers/Good health! | Mauri ora! Kia ora! |
| Have a nice day | Kia pai tō rā |
| Bon appetit | Kia mākona |
| Bon voyage | Kia pai te haere |
| I don't understand | Kaore au e mārama / Aroha mai |
| Please speak more slowly | Tēnā koa*, āta kōrero |
| Please say that again | Tēnā koa*, kōrero mai anō |
| Please write it down | Tuhia (koa) |
| Do you speak Māori? Yes, a little |
He reo Māori tōu? |
| Āe, he iti | |
| How do you say ... in Māori? | He aha te kupu Māori mō ...? |
| Excuse me/Sorry | Aroha mai |
| How much is this? | He aha te utu? |
| Sorry | Aroha Mai / Mō Taku Hē |
| Thank you | usually expressed through rising intonation or Kia ora |
| Where's the toilet? | Kei hea te wharepaku? |
| Would you like to dance with me? |
Ka Pīrangi koe ki te kanikani tahi tāua? |
| I love you | Kei te aroha au ki a koe |
| Get well soon | Kia piki te ora |
| Leave me alone! | Haere atu! |
| Help! Fire! Stop! |
Āwhina! Ahi! Kāti! |
| Be careful! | Kia Tūpato! |
| Be quiet! | Turituri! |
| Call the police! | Waea atu ki te Pirihimana! |
| Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year |
Meri Kirihimete me ngā mihi o te tau hou ki a koutou katoa |
| Happy Easter | Ngā mihi o te Aranga |
| Happy Birthday | Rā Whānau ki a Koe! |
| One language is never enough |
Kore rawa e rawaka te reo kotahi |
| My hovercraft is full of eels | Kī tōnu taku waka topaki i te tuna |
*Note: Tēnā koa (please) is not absolutely necessary in these phrases. Your tone of voice can express the same thing.
Translations and corrections from Tamati Taylor and Fern Jenkins
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, Ilocano, Indonesian, Javanese, Malay, Maori, Tagalog
| Maldives Hotels from DirectRooms.com |
Copyright 1998- Simon Ager