Kia pai tō rā
To say have a nice day in Maori, say Kia pai tō rā.
It is a friendly farewell, said when parting from someone during the day.
Meaning: goodbye (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
Kia expresses a wish, pai means good, tō means your and rā means day.
How does it change in a sentence?
tō is your for one person. When speaking to two or more people, the word for your changes.
Did you know?
- The word tō used for 'your' has a strange connection to the plant 'sugar cane' in its ancient history. While the word originally referred to this sweet plant, the meaning shifted because sugar cane cannot survive in the colder climate of New Zealand.
- The word pai shares an ancient linguistic ancestor with the Malay word baik and the Tagalog word bait.
- While pai means 'good' in this phrase, it can also describe something that is 'correct' or 'fitting' within a spiritual or social context.
Examples in context
- E hoa, kia pai tō rā.Friend, have a nice day.
- Ka kite anō, kia pai tō rā.See you again, have a nice day.
Example conversation
Kahu and Manaia are leaving a local cafe.
- KahuKa kite anō, Manaia.See you again, Manaia.
- ManaiaKa kite, Kahu.See you, Kahu.
- KahuKia pai tō rā.Have a nice day.
- ManaiaTēnā koe, kia pai hoki tō rā.Thank you, have a nice day too.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pai, rā, tō, CC BY-SA 4.0.
