Kia ora
/ˈkia ˈora/
Kia ora is the Māori way to say good afternoon.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
Which one should you use?
The phrase Kia ora i te ahiahi specifically means "Hello in the afternoon".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkia ˈora/
Did you know?
- Though used as a greeting, Kia ora is also frequently used as a way to express gratitude or agreement, similar to 'cheers' or 'thank you' in English.
- Saying Kia ora is more like saying 'may you live' than the English 'good afternoon'.
- The word ora is a distant linguistic cousin to the Hawaiian word ola, as both share a root from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word for 'to exist'.
Example conversation
Wiremu arrives at Aroha's house during the afternoon.
- ArohaKia ora, Wiremu!Good afternoon, Wiremu!
- WiremuKia ora, Aroha.Good afternoon, Aroha.
- ArohaKei te pēhea koe?How are you?
- WiremuKei te pai ahau.I am well.
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry kia ora.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kia ora, ora, CC BY-SA 4.0.
