haere rā
/ˈhaere ˈraː/word by word
The English phrase "bye" is translated into Maori as haere rā.
haere rā is used as a way to say goodbye. It is specifically employed when you are the person departing and the person you are speaking to is staying behind.
Meaning: short for goodbye (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of haere (go) and rā (a particle used for emphasis or to indicate distance/departure), literally meaning "go farewell" or "go away".
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction in Maori based on who is moving. Use haere rā when you are leaving the other person. However, if you are the one staying and the other person is leaving, you should use e noho rā, which literally means "stay farewell".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhaere ˈraː/
Did you know?
- The word rā in haere rā shares a prehistoric ancestor with the Malay word layar, which means 'sail'.
- The way Maori uses rā to mean 'day' is a relatively modern development influenced by the English language, which displaced the older use of pō.
- The word noho in the staying-behind version of goodbye literally means 'to sit'. This links the act of staying in a place with the physical posture of sitting.
Examples in context
- Haere rā, e hoa.Bye, friend.
- Haere rā, ka kite anō.Bye, see you again.
- Haere rā ki te kāinga.Bye, go safely home.
Example conversation
Rawiri is leaving Aroha's house.
- RawiriKua tae te wā ki te haere.It is time to go.
- ArohaHaere rā, Rawiri.Bye, Rawiri.
- RawiriKa kite i a koe anō.I will see you again.
- ArohaĀe, ka kite!Yes, see you!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry haere rā, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (haere, rā) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rā, CC BY-SA 4.0.
