Common English to Māori (Te Reo Māori) sentence with learning tips

Te Reo Māori is the native language of Aotearoa (New Zealand). It reflects the values, identity, and worldview of the Māori people. Learning Māori helps you connect with the land, culture, and spirit of New Zealand.

Whether you’re a local or an international learner, this guide will take you through basic structure, key vocabulary, grammar, and 100+ real sentences to help you master English to Māori translation step by step.

Pronunciation Tips

Letter	Sound	Example
A	“ah”	aroha (love)
E	“eh”	kete (basket)
I	“ee”	iwi (tribe)
O	“or”	roto (inside)
U	“oo”	utu (payment)
Wh	“f” sound	whānau (family)
Ng	“ng” as in sing	ngā tamariki (the children)

Greetings and Introductions (20 Sentences)

English	Māori
Hello	Kia ora
Good morning	Mōrena
Good afternoon	Kia ahiahi pai
Good evening	Kia pō pai
Goodbye	Ka kite anō
Welcome	Nau mai
How are you?	Kei te pēhea koe?
I am good	Kei te pai ahau
What is your name?	Ko wai tō ingoa?
My name is John	Ko John tōku ingoa
Nice to meet you	He pai ki te tūtaki ki a koe
Where are you from?	Nō hea koe?
I am from Auckland	Nō Tāmaki Makaurau ahau
Thank you	Ngā mihi / Kia ora
Thank you very much	Ngā mihi nui
Please	Tēnā koa
Yes	Āe
No	Kāo
See you later	Ka kite
Take care	Kia haumaru

Family and Relationships (10 Sentences)

English	Māori
This is my family	Ko tōku whānau tēnei
My father’s name is Hemi	Ko Hemi tōku matua
My mother’s name is Mere	Ko Mere tōku whaea
I have two brothers	E rua ōku tungāne
I have one sister	Kotahi taku tuahine
I love my family	He aroha taku mō tōku whānau
This is my friend	Ko taku hoa tēnei
He is my husband	Ko taku tāne ia
She is my wife	Ko taku wahine ia
We are a happy family	He whānau harikoa mātou

Daily Life and Actions (15 Sentences)

English	Māori
I am eating	Kei te kai ahau
I am drinking water	Kei te inu wai ahau
I am reading a book	Kei te pānui pukapuka ahau
I am cooking food	Kei te tunu kai ahau
I am cleaning the house	Kei te horoi whare ahau
I am going to school	Kei te haere ahau ki te kura
I am working today	Kei te mahi ahau i tēnei rā
I am tired	Kei te ngenge ahau
I am happy	Kei te harikoa ahau
I am sad	Kei te pōuri ahau
I am watching TV	Kei te mātakitaki pouaka whakaata ahau
I am listening to music	Kei te whakarongo ahau ki te waiata
I am sleeping	Kei te moe ahau
I am walking to town	Kei te hīkoi ahau ki te tāone
I am writing a letter	Kei te tuhituhi reta ahau

Numbers and Counting (10 Sentences)

English	Māori
One	Tahi
Two	Rua
Three	Toru
Four	Whā
Five	Rima
Six	Ono
Seven	Whitu
Eight	Waru
Nine	Iwa
Ten	Tekau

Example Sentences:

1. I have three apples – E toru āporo āku.
2. She has one cat – Kotahi tana ngeru.
3. There are ten students – Tekau ngā ākonga.
4. We have five chairs – E rima ngā tūru.
5. Two birds are flying – E rua ngā manu e rere ana.

Food and Eating (10 Sentences)

English	Māori
Food	Kai
I am hungry	Kei te hiakai ahau
I am full	Kua makona ahau
Let’s eat	Me kai tātou
The food is delicious	He reka te kai
I want some water	Kei te hiahia ahau i te wai
I like fruit	He pai ki ahau ngā hua rākau
I don’t like fish	Kāore au e pai ki te ika
I am cooking rice	Kei te tunu raihi ahau
We are having dinner	Kei te kai tina mātou

Time and Weather (10 Sentences)

English	Māori
What time is it?	He aha te wā?
It is 3 o’clock	Ko te toru karaka
Today is Monday	Ko te Mane tēnei rā
It is raining	Kei te ua
It is sunny	Kei te rā
It is windy	Kei te pupuhi te hau
It is cold	He makariri
It is hot	He wera
The sky is blue	He kikorangi te rangi
Tomorrow will be fine	Ka pai te rangi āpōpō

Places and Travel (10 Sentences)

English	Māori
I am going to town	Kei te haere ahau ki te tāone
I am going to the beach	Kei te haere ahau ki te takutai
Where is the toilet?	Kei hea te wharepaku?
Where is the bus?	Kei hea te pahi?
I want to go to Wellington	Kei te hiahia ahau ki te haere ki Pōneke
The car is red	He whero te motokā
I am at home	Kei te kāinga ahau
The school is big	He kura nui tēnei
I am travelling by train	Kei te haere ahau mā runga tereina
The mountain is beautiful	He ataahua te maunga

Feelings and Emotions (10 Sentences)

English	Māori
I am happy	Kei te harikoa ahau
I am sad	Kei te pōuri ahau
I am angry	Kei te riri ahau
I am excited	Kei te hiamo ahau
I am scared	Kei te mataku ahau
I am nervous	Kei te māharahara ahau
I am proud	Kei te whakakake ahau
I am calm	Kei te mārie ahau
I feel strong	Kei te kaha ahau
I feel relaxed	Kei te whakatā ahau

Nature and Environment (10 Sentences)

English	Māori
The river is long	He roa te awa
The sea is blue	He kikorangi te moana
The tree is tall	He tiketike te rākau
The bird is singing	Kei te waiata te manu
The sun is shining	Kei te whiti te rā
The wind is strong	He kaha te hau
The mountain is big	He nui te maunga
The flowers are beautiful	He ataahua ngā putiputi
The rain is cold	He makariri te ua
The stars are bright	He kanapa ngā whetū

Common Expressions (10 Sentences)

English	Māori
What are you doing?	He aha tāu mahi?
I don’t know	Kāore au e mōhio
That’s good	He pai tēnā
That’s bad	He kino tēnā
Hurry up!	Kia tere!
Wait!	Tatari!
Come here	Haere mai
Go away	Haere atu
Sit down	E noho
Stand up	E tū

School and Learning (10 Sentences)

English	Māori
I am a student	He ākonga ahau
This is my teacher	Ko taku kaiako tēnei
I am studying Māori	Kei te ako ahau i te reo Māori
The class is big	He akomanga nui tēnei
Open your book	Whakatuwhera tō pukapuka
Close the door	Katia te tatau
Listen carefully	Whakarongo marie
Write your name	Tuhia tō ingoa
Do your homework	Mahia tō mahi kāinga
I like learning Māori	He pai ki ahau te ako i te reo Māori

Proverbs and Cultural Sayings (5 Sentences)

English	Māori
The language is the life force of the people	Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori
With your food basket and my food basket, we will thrive	Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi
A task begun is half done	Whāia te iti kahurangi
Seek the treasure you value most dearly	Me kimi te mea nui
Be strong, be brave, be steadfast	Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui

Learning Resources and Tips

• Use books like Maori Made Easy by Scotty Morrison and A Māori Phrase a Day by Hemi Kelly.
• Practice with Te Whanake Online, Māori Dictionary, or the Kupu App.
• Join local Māori classes, marae sessions, or online Duolingo Māori lessons.
• Speak daily — even small phrases build fluency!

Conclusion

Learning Te Reo Māori is a journey of respect, connection, and discovery. Every time you say “Kia ora” or “Ngā mihi”, you help keep the language alive.

As Māori say:

“He taonga te reo” — The language is a treasure.

Start today — one word, one sentence, one step at a time.