Māori Grammar

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Te Reo Māori Level 1
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

The present tense is indicated by using the words kei te at the start of the sentence. This can be used with a verb (walking, singing, running, eating...) to say: "at the moment, I am walking", etc.

Kei te hikoi ahau.
At the moment, I am walking.

Kei te oma koe.
At the moment, you are running.

Kei te waiata ia.
At the moment, she is singing.

Kei te pānui au i te pukapuka.
I am reading the book.

Kei te mahi a Rangi i te whare.
Rangi is working at home.

Kei te horoi koe i ngā rīhi.
You are washing the dishes.

Kei te moe ngā tamariki.
The children are sleeping.

Kei te kai a Hōne i te āporo.
Hōne is eating the apple.

Kei te oma rātou ki te kura.
They are running to school.

Kei te kai ahau i te āporo.
I am eating an apple.

Kei te tākaro a Pita i te papa tākaro.
Pita is playing at the playground.

Kei te tuhituhi ia i te reta.
He is writing the letter.

Kei te waiata te kapa haka.
The haka group is singing.

Kei te kōrero ahau ki a koe.
I am talking to you.

Kei te tuhituhi ia i te reta.
She is writing the letter.

Kei te haere tāua ki taua hui.
The two of us are going to that hui.

Kei te haere ngā tamariki ki waho
The children are going outside.

Kei te tunu koe i te tina?
Are you cooking dinner?

Kei te tahu ia i te ahi i te marae.
He is lighting the fire at the marae.

Kei te pai rawa atu.
Really good.

Kei te kai parakuihi te whānau.
The family is having breakfast.

Kei te kai ngā pakeke i ngā kina me ngā pāua. Kei te pūhaehae mātou.
The elderly are eating kina and pāua. We are jealous.

Kei te tango a Makere i ōna .
Maggie is removing her shoes.

Kei te kai ahau.
I'm eating.

Kei te haere a Ari rāua ko Honi.
Ari and Honi are going.

Kei te paki te .
It's fine today.

Kei te hīkoi au ki te tāone.
I'm walking to town.

Kei te titiro taua ngeru ki tāna kai.
That cat is looking at his meal.

Kei te oma koe.
You are running.

Kei te oma te tama ki konei.
The boy is running here.

Kei te heke iho mai nei te ua.
The rain is coming down.

Kei te kōrero mātou i te whare.
We are talking in the house/about the house.

Kei te tahitahi a Tame i te papa.
Tame is sweeping the floor.

Kei te tahitahi a Aroha i te whare.
Aroha is sweeping the house.

Kei te āhua māharahara koe.
You are somewhat anxious.

Kei te kato pūhā au ā te Hātarei.
I am picking pūhā on Saturday.

Kei te tika.
That's correct.

Kei te kite koe i ngā manu ?
Can you see those birds?

Kei te ako au i ētehi waiata.
I am learning some songs.

Kei te moe te pēpi.
The baby is sleeping.

Kei te tangi te pēpi.
The baby is crying.

Kei te tangi te kōtiro.
The girl is crying.

Kei te hoki au ki te kāinga.
I'm returning home.

Kei te haere ia ki te hokomaha hoko kai ai.
He's going to the supermarket to buy food.

Kei te mau mōhiti ia.
He is wearing glasses.

Kei te whakarongo koutou.
You are listening.

Kei te mahi ahau.
I'm working.

Kei te horoi a Pita i te waka.
Pita is washing the car.

Kei te ako au i te reo Māori.
I am learning the Māori language.

Kei te pupuhi te wūruhi.
The wolf is blowing.

Kei te tuhituhi au i te rārangi kai.
I'm writing the shopping list.

Kei te haere au ki te papa hokohoko.
I'm going to the mall.

Kei te tino hiamoe koe.
You are very sleepy.

Kei te hui a Rama rāua ko Pita ki te pātaka kōrero.
Rama and Pita are meeting in the library.

Kei te mahi ngā tāne ki konā.
The men are working there near you.

Kei te kōrero au ki a ia.
I am speaking to her.

Kei te koe!
You are wrong!

Kei te karanga mai te kuia.
The elder is calling.

Kei te kai rāua.
They're eating.

Kei te whakamārama ia i ngā kōrero pakitara ki ngā tamariki.
She is explaining the stories to the children.

Kei te kai rāua i ngā kūmara.
They are eating the kūmara.

Kei te hoki au ki te mahi.
I'm returning to work.

Kei te mōhio koe.
You know.

Kei te hīkoi a Amaru ki te kura.
Amaru is walking to school.

Kei te waiata a Hēmi.
Hēmi is singing.

Kei te oma rātou.
They are running.

Kei te hiahia āwhina koe?
Do you need a hand?

Kei te katakata a Raureka.
Raureka is laughing.

Kei te āhua makariri a Rangi.
Rangi is somewhat cold.

Kei te whakaaro au ki ōku mātoua tūpuna.
I am thinking about my ancestors.

Kei te mahi ngā tāne ki korā
The men are working over there.

Kei te kōrero ia.
She's talking.

Kei te waiata a Jerome.
Jerome is singing.

Kei te patu a Kauri i te whāriki.
Kauri is beating the carpet.

Kei te whakaaro au ki ōku tīpuna.
I am thinking of my ancestors.

Kei te ako au i tētehi waiata.
I am learning a song.

Kei te titiro a Koa.
Koa is looking.

Kei te marino tonu te moana.
The sea is still calm.

Kei te hoki ia ki te mahi i tēnei .
I am returning to work today.

Kei te mau a Pani i te ika.
Pani is carrying the fish.

Kei te kite koe i ngā manu ?
Can you see those birds?

Kei te tika tāu whakautu.
Your answer is correct.

Kei te mihi te koroua ki ngā manuhiri.
The elderly man is acknowledging the visitors.

Kei te oma te tama ki korā
The boy is running over there.

Kei te whātuitui kākahu ia.
He is folding clothes.

Kei te hiakai au, engari, kore kau he kai!
I am starving, but, there is absolutely no food!

Kei te hari au i ngā pūhera ki te waka.
I am carrying the purchases to the car

Kei te whakapakari tinana rāua ki te whare hākinakina.
Those two are exercising at the gym.

Kei te hoki rāua ki te kāinga.
Those two are returning home.

Kei te waiata rāua.
Those two are singing.

Kei te whakapakari tinana rātou ki te papa tākaro.
They are exercising at the playground.