Ways to say it
| Maori | IPA |
|---|---|
| haere rā | /ˈhaere ˈraː/ (word by word) |
| hei konā | |
| hei konā rā | |
| noho iho rā | |
| noho ake rā | |
| noho mai rā | /ˈnoho ˈmai ˈraː/ (word by word) |
| noho ora mai | /ˈnoho ˈora ˈmai/ (word by word) |
| e noho rā | /ˈe ˈnoho ˈraː/ (word by word) |
Māori farewells are determined by the movement of the people involved. You use forms based on haere (to go) when someone is departing, and forms based on noho (to stay) when you are the one departing and the other person remains. Noho ora mai is used as a warmer, more caring way to wish someone well-being while they stay.
What does it mean word for word?
The word haere means to go or to travel, while noho means to sit or to stay/remain. The particle rā is often added to these farewells to provide emphasis or to indicate a sense of distance or finality.
Which one should you use?
The choice of phrase depends on who is moving. Use haere rā when you are the one staying and the other person is departing. Conversely, use noho rā or its variations, such as noho ake rā, noho iho rā or noho mai rā, when you are the one leaving and the other person is staying. Hei konā and hei konā rā are used to mean 'see you later' or 'bye for now'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle rā is used in many of these expressions to add emphasis or to indicate distance or time.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhaere ˈraː/
Did you know?
- The word rā used in these farewells shares an ancient root with the Malay word layar meaning 'sail'.
Examples in context
- Haere rā e te hoa.Goodbye, my friend.
Example conversation
Rawiri and Anahera are finishing a meeting at work.
- RawiriKua mutu tōku mahi. Haere rā, Anahera.My work is finished. Goodbye, Anahera.
- AnaheraNoho ora mai, Rawiri.Stay well, Rawiri.
- RawiriKa kite i a koe anō.I will see you again.
- AnaheraAe, ka kite.Yes, see you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goodbye” translations and entries haere rā, e noho 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, noho, mai, ora, e) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ake, hei, noho, rā, CC BY-SA 4.0.
