Māori Grammar

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The family were playing the game

past tense using i and i te

Kei te is the tense marker used to indicate that something is happening in the present:

Kei te oma au.
I am running.

The past tense is indicated by using i te.

I te oma au.
I was running.

I te matapihi tata tonu, ka haere ia ki te kūaha.
She walked from near the window to the door.

I te whakarongo koutou?
Were you listening?

I te raka tonu te hōro.
The hall was still locked.

I te matekai ngā tamariki.
The children were hungry.

I te tunu a Hana i te keke mō te hui.
Hana was baking the cake for the meeting.

Ka haere au ki te toa āpōpō ki te hoko kai.
I will go to the shop tomorrow to buy food.

I te haere rātou ki te moana ki te kauhoe.
They were going to the beach to swim.

Ka tuhituhi a Pita i te reta mō tōna hoa.
Pita will write the letter for his friend.

I te kaha o te rā ki to whiti, ka pōngia iho ahau.
The sun was so bright I had to close my eyes.

I te hari katoa hāunga anō a Rangi.
Everyone was happy except Rangi.

I te tākaro ngā tamariki i te pāmu i te rā wera
The children were playing at the farm on the hot day.

I te pānui au.
I was reading.

I te kai te kōtero i te āporo.
The girl was eating the apple.

I te hanga te kaiako i ngā mahi mō te akomanga.
The teacher was preparing the work for the class.

Ka rere te waka rererangi ki Tāmaki Makaurau ā te ahiahi.
The plane will fly to Auckland in the afternoon.

I te whana te tama i te pōro.
The boy was kicking the ball.

I te kōrero au ki a ia.
I was speaking to her.

I te kōrero ngā wahine.
The women were talking.

I te hanga rātou i te whare.
They were building the house.

I te mutunga wiki i haere au ki te awa,te kura, te toa hoki.
On the weekend I went to the river, to the school and also to the shop.

I te haere au ki te toa ki te hoko kai.
I was going to the shop to buy food.

I te haere rātou.
They were going.

Ka waiata te kapa haka i te hui.
The haka group will sing at the gathering.

I te whakarongo mātou ki te waiata i te rā whānau.
We were listening to the song at the birthday.

I te piki au i te rākau.
I was climbing the tree.

Ka whakatika a Hine i te whare ā te ata.
Hine will clean the house in the morning.

Ka haere rātou ki te moana ki te kaukau.
They will go to the beach to swim.

I te whakareri a Mere mō te haerenga ki Tāhuna.
Mere was preparing for the trip to Queenstown.

I te mātakitaki au i te kiriata me ōku hoa.
I was watching the movie with my friends.

Ka haere mātou ki te whare pikitia hei te Rāmere.
We will go to the cinema on Friday.

Ka kōrero a Rewi ki te kaiako hei te Rātū.
Rewi will speak to the teacher on Tuesday.

Ka horoi koe i ngā rīhi i muri i te kai.
You will wash the dishes after the meal.

I te Mane ka haere ahau ki Taupō.
I went to Taupo on Monday.

I te moe ngā pēpi.
The baby was sleeping.

I te inumanga o te pia, ka hauranga rātou.
On drinking the beer, they got drunk.

I te whakawhitinga o te katipō i te matapihi, mea oma.
The spider ran across the window.

I te ako a Pita i te reo Māori i te kura.
Pita was learning te reo Māori at school.

I te moe a Koa.
Koa was asleep.

I te mutunga o te pōwhiri, ka tū te hākari.
At the end of the welcome, a feast was held.

I te hīkoi rātou i nanahi.
They were walking yesterday.

Ka tunu a Mere i te kai mō te whānau ā te pō.
Mere will cook dinner for the family tonight.

I te kōrero a Amaru.
Amaru was talking.

I te hīkoi a Honi ki te kura.
Honi was walking to school.

I te pupuhi te hau.
The wind was blowing.

I te pupuhi te hau inanahi.
The wind was blowing yesterday.

I te topenga o te rākau, ka riri te iwi.
When the tree was cut, the people were angry.

I te pīrangi koe ki te kaputī?
Did you want a tea?

I te hoki mai a Rewi i te mahi i te ahiahi.
Rewi was returning from work in the evening.