Māori Grammar

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I am able to look after your children (but I'm not going to)

Ka taea e... te..., kāore... taea...

A person can say that they are able to do something using ka taea. This has a passive structure and so uses e to indication the person able to do the action. Literally, this means "able to be done by me".

The structure is either: 

Ka taea e au te [OBJECT] te [VERB].
or:
Ka taea e au te [VERB] i te [OBJECT].

There are therefore two possible ways of saying the same thing:

Ka taea e au te kitā te whakatangi.
Ka taea e au te whakatangi i te kitā
I am able to play the guitar.
Literally: the guitar is able to be played by me.

Note that this structure is used to indicate that a person is physically able to do something and not that they actually will do it. For example, asking: "Are you able to walk to the shop?" is different from "Can you please walk to the shop?" A person might answer that, yes, they are able to do this, but they are unwilling and so won't actually do it.

It is also different from the word āhei which means that a person is allowed to do something. For example, a person might be able to drive a car (ka taea) but might not be allowed to (if they have lost their license). Similarly, a person might be allowed to drive a car but might not be able to (if they have broken their leg).

Ka taea e ia te motokā te taraiwa.
He is able to drive the car.

E āhei ana ia ki te taraiwa i te motokā.
He is allowed to drive the car.

Ka taea e ia te motokā te taraiwa, engari kāore ia e āhei ana ki te taraiwa i tēnei wā.
He is able to drive the car but is not allowed to drive it now.

E āhei ana ia ki te taraiwa i te motokā, engari kāore e taea e ia te taraiwa i tēnei wā.
He is allowed to drive the car but he is not able to drive it now.

Ka taea e koe te keke te tunu0.
?Can you bake the cake?

Ka taea e koe te hari i a au ki te tāone?
Are you able to take me to town?

Āe, ka taea e au te kōrero Māori.
Yes, I can speak Māori.

Kāore e taea e au te haramai ki te mārena.
It is not possible for me to come to the wedding.

Āe, ka taea e tōku kuia te waiata.
Yes, my grandmother can sing.

Ka taea ekoe tōku waka te whakatika?
Are you able to fix my car?

Waea mai mēnā ka taea.
Give me a call if you can.

E mōhio ana ahau, e taea e ia te whakamārama i te whakatauki nei.
I know that she will be able to explain this saying.

Ka taea e koe te whakaheke ngaru?
Can you surf?

Ka taeae te rakuraku te whakatangi e Tama.
Tama can play the guitar.

Ka taea e tō kuia te waiata?
Can your grandmother sing?

Ka taea koe te kai i ngā āporo?
Are you able to eat the apples?

Ka taea e Mia te pātai te whakautu.
Mia is able to answer the question.

Āe, ka taea e au te keke te tunu.
Yes, I am able to bake the cake.

Ka taea e Hūhana mā ngā hoiho te tiki?
Can Hūhana and co fetch the horses?

Ka taea e koe ngā tamariki te tiki?
Can you pick up the kids?

Me whakapā atu ki a Amaru ina ka taea.
Contact M1 if and when you can.

Ka taea ia te whakaako i ngā tamariki?
Is he/she able to teach the children?

Ka taea e koe te kauhoe?
Can you swim?

Ka taea e ngā tamariki ngā rīhi te horoi?
Are the children capable of washing the dishes?

Ka taea e Ari te whakatangi rakuruku.
Ari is able to play guitar.

Ka taea e koe te kai te tunu?
Are you able to cook dinner?

Ka taea e Hamiora ōna hū te here?
Can Hamiora tie his shoes?

Ka taea e koe te whakatangitangi piana?
Can you play piano?

Ka taea e koe te rakuraku te whakatangi?
Can you play guitar?

Ka taea e koe āku pukapuka te whakahoki ki te whare pukapuka?
Are you able to return my books to the library?

Āe, ka taea e te kiwi te rere.
Yes, the kiwi can fly.

Āe, ka taea e ia te motokā te taraiwa.
Yes, he can drive the car.

Ka taea e koe te whakautu i taku pātai?
Can you answer my question?

Ka taea te kuri te oma i te papa tākaro.
The dog is able to run in the playground.

Āe, ka taea e au tērā maunga te piki.
Yes, I can climb that mountain.

Ka taea e koe te horoi i te motokā?
Are you able to wash the car?

Ka taea e koe ngā pukapuka te whakahoki ki te whare pukapuka.
You are able to return the books to the library.

Āe, ka taea e au tō waka tde whakatika.
Yes, I am able to fix your car.

Āe, ka taea e au.
Yes, I can.

Ka taea koe te tākaro i te kita?
Are you able to play the guitar?

Ka taea e te kiwi te rere?
Can the kiwi fly?

Ka taea a Hemi te whakahaere i te hui.
Hemi is able to run the meeting.

I taea e Manu te kai te tunu.
Manu was able to cook food.

Ka taea e koe te haramai ki te mārena?
Can you come to the wedding?

Ka taea e koe au te āwhina mai?
Are you able to help me?

Ka taea e koe te tuitui kakahu?
Can you sew clothing?

I taea e Rāwiri te hāngī te tunu.
Rāwiri was able to cook the hāngī.

Ka tareka e au te kōrero ki a koe?
Can I speak to you?

Ka taea rāua te haere ki te kura?
Are they (two) able to go to school?

Ka taea e koe te tunu keke?
Can you bake cakes?

Ka taea e au tēnā mahi.
I can do that job.

Kāore e taea e au te rakuraku te whakatangi, heoi, ka taea e au i te piana te whakatangi.
I can't play the guitar, however, I can play the piano.

Ka taea e koe tērā maunga te piki?
Can you climb that mountain over there?

Me taea e koe!
You should be able to!

Kāre e taea a au te haere ki te mahi āpōpō.
I can't go to work tomorrow.

Kāo, kāore e taea e au te whakautu i tō pātai.
No, I can't answer your question.

Ka taea e koe te kanikani?
Can you dance?

Ka taea rāua te mahi tahi.
They (two) are able to work together.

Ka taea mātou te hīkoi ki te tāone?
Are we (excluding you) able to walk to the town?

Ka taea e koe te haere ki te hui?
Are you able to come to the meeting?

Ka taea ahau te tuhituhi i tēnei reta.
I am able to write this letter.

Ka taea ngā tāngata te haere mā runga pahi.
The people are able to travel by bus.

Ka taea e ia te motokā te taraiwa?
Can he drive the car?

Ka taea ngā tamariki te haere ki te kura.
The children are able to go to school.

Ka taea te kaiako te whakarongo ki ngā tauira.
The teacher is able to listen to the students.

Ka taea mātou te hīkoi ki te tāone.
We (excluding you) are able to walk to town.

Ka taea e Hina te whakatangi te piana.
Hina can play the piano.

Ka taea koe te mātakitaki i te kiriata.
You are able to watch the movie.

Ka taea ahau te tākaro i te kita.
I am able to play the guitar.

Kāore i taea e au te kanikani, engari ināianei, āe, ka taea te kanikani.
I couldn't dance, but now, yeah, I can dance.