Māori Grammar

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Rangi was sick but now he is well

conjunctions: ēngari, ā

A conjunction joins two phrases together. Conjuctions in English include "and", "because", "although", "nevertheless", etc

In te reo Māori engari is a very common conjunction, meaning "but". It contrasts the second clause with the first:

Kei te harikoa ahau, engari, kei te mauiui koe.
I am happy but you are sick.

See also:

• Conjunctions - and - ā

Kāore aku tamariki, engari he tokomaha āku irāmutu, tekau mā rima rātou.
I don't have any kids, but I have many nieces and nephews, there are fifteen of them.

Nō Kāpiti, engari kei konei mātou ko tōku whānau e noho ana.
From Kāpiti, but my family and I are staying here.

Kua reri mai te marae, engari kei te tāria tonutia te manuhiri.
The marae is ready, but we are still waiting for the guests.

Kei te hōhā ahau i te mea he uaua tēnei mahi.
I am bored because this work is too hard.

Ko Pōneke te taone matua, engari ko Akarana te taone nui.
Wellington is the capital city, but Auckland is the big city.

I tērā tai i te kāinga ngā tamariki a ako ana, engari kei te kura rātou i tēnei wā.
Last year the children were learning at home, but they are at the school now.

Kei konei au, engari kei te moe tonu ngā karu Nan.
I am here, but my eyes are still sleeping Nan.

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

Kei te pai au, engari kei te tangi ia.
I'm ok, but she's crying.

Ka kite hoki i ētahi atu rerekētanga, engari, mō te reremahi, kahore.
There are other differences as well, but for verbal sentences, there aren't any.

Kei te haere ahau ki te kura mā runga pahi, engari kei te haere koe ki te toa mā raro.
I'm going to school by bus but you're walking to the shop.

I pakeke ake au i Te Tai Rāwhiti, engari ko Whakatamacr;ne kē tōku ake kāinga.
I grew up in the Eastland region but Whakatamacr;ne is my real home.

He pai ki ahau te mahita, nā te mea, he humarie ia.
I like the teacher, because he's handsome.

Kei te oherere ahau i te mea he māmā rawa tēnei mahi.
I am surprised because this work is too easy.

He makariri, engari he rawe te hararei.
It was cold, but it was a great holiday.

I te mea...
Because...

Ko Ngāmotu te taone pai, engari ko Tūranga te taone mahana.
New Plymouth is the great city, but Gisborne is the warm city.

Kei te pai, pāpā. Engari, kua whakakīa te waka ki te penehinu?
All good, pāpā. But, has the car been filled with petrol?

Ka haere ahau, engari kāhore a Koa i haere mai.
I went, but Koa didn't.

He waka tōna, engari kua pakaru tōna waka.
He has a car, but his car is broken.

Kāore e pai ki ahau te mahita, na te mea, he haunga ia.
I don't like the teacher because he smells.

Ehara māku e taki te karakia, nā te mea he iti taku kete pāpaku taku kete karakia.
I will not be the one to recite the prayer because my kete is shallow.

E whakaae ana ētahi, engari kāore anō ētahi atu kia whakaae.
Some agree, but others have not yet agreed.

Kei te ako ahau, engari he pōturi.
I'm learning but I'm slow.

I oti i a au, engari kua mamae taku ringa i te tuhituhi.
I completed it but my hand is sore from all the writing.