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 tunu keke?
Can you bake cakes?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka taea e koe te mahi toi?
Can you do art?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Ka taea e koe, mahia atu!
You can do it, give it a go!

Ka taea e Hine te waiata.
Hine can sing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka taea e koe te kauhoe?
Can you swim?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Me taea e koe!
You should be able to!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 au.
Yes, I can.

Ka taea e koe te kanikani?
Can you dance?

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

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

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

Ka taea e koe te kōrero Māori?
Can you speak Māori?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka taea au te whakaoho e koe ā te whitu karaka?
Are you able to wake me at 7 o'clock?

Ka taea e koe te ruku kaimoana?
Can you dive for seafood?