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 pupuhi te hau inanahi.
The wind was blowing yesterday.

I te matekai ngā tamariki.
The children were hungry.

I te haere rātou.
They were going.

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

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

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

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

I te moe ngā pēpi.
The baby was sleeping.

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

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

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

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 pānui au.
I was reading.

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

I te pupuhi te hau.
The wind was blowing.

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 kōrero ngā wahine.
The women were talking.

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

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

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

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

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

I te kōrero a Hēmi.
Hēmi was talking.

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

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

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

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

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

I te moe a Ataahua.
Ataahua was asleep.

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

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

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

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

I te whakarongo koutou?
Were you listening?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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