Useful Ways To Say “Hello” & “Goodbye” In Māori Language

Blog
09 March 2023
By Sarah Angela Almaden
Japanese House
Ka Hao

Many moons ago, musicians from New Zealand called Ka Hao and Rob Ruha released a song together called “35.” The song highlights New Zealand’s State Highway 35 (SH 35), which is the main highway for the East Cape of the North Island (one of the two main islands of the country with a population of about 3 million people) and the Māori people that live along the area. Okay, enough of that short 411 about SH 35… so, the tune was and still is sooooo catchy that it blew up on this planet and it even was used as a mainstream dance song on TikTok. If you don’t know the song, stream it here.



A fun fact about “35” is that it was released as one of the 27 songs for the 2021 Waiata Anthems Week during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, a government-sponsored campaign to promote the use of Māori language in New Zealand. And if you thought that the feel-good hit is in Māori, then you’re right because the song is indeed written and sung in the Māori language. Just take a glance at the lyrics and you’ll be immersed in the beauty of the Māori language, culture, and sound. Before you learn the lyrics to this sweet song, make sure to get acquainted with the different ways of saying “hello” and “goodbye” in Māori.

    Ways to say “Hello” in Māori
  • Hello: Kia ora (kee-ah oh-rah)
  • Hello (to one person): Tēnā koe (teeh-naah ko-eh)
  • Hello (to two people): Kia ora (kee-ah oh-rah) / Tēna kōrua (teeh-naah koo-roo-ah)
  • Hello (to three or more people): Tēnā koutou (teeh-naah koh-toh)
  • Hello (to everyone): Kia ora tātou (kee-ah oh-rah taah-tow)
  • Good morning: Mōrena (mooh-reh-na) / Ata mārie (ah-tah maa-ree-yeh)
  • Good day: Tēnā koe (teeh-naah ko-eh)
  • Good afternoon: Ahiahi mārie (ah-hee-yah-hee maa-ree-yeh)
  • Good evening / Good night: Pō mārie (pooh maa-ree-yeh)
    Ways to say “Goodbye” in Māori
  • Until next time: Mā te wā (maah teh waah)
  • See you again: Ka kite (kah kee-teh)
  • See you tomorrow: Hei āpōpō (hi aah-pooh-pooh)
  • See you next time: Mā te wā (maah teh waah)
  • Goodbye (to say to someone who is leaving): Haere rā (hi-reh raah)
  • Goodbye (to say to someone who is staying): E noho rā (eh no-ho raah)