Māori Grammar

Ka haere tonu a Tainui, ā, ka pahemo i tētahi moutere.
Tainui went on and passed an island.

Ka tū ia, ā, ka kōrero.
He stood and spoke.

I pō, i pō, ā, ka mārama.
It was dark for a long time, and then at last it became light.

I ōna wā he iwi manene; i ngā hōtoke kei ngā raorao, kei ngā mānia, ā, i ngā raumati Kei ngā maunga.
In those days they were a nomadic tribe; in the winter, [they] were in the foothills and on the plains, and in the summer [they] were on the mountains.

He mātau ia, ā, he kōtiro pākiki hoki.
She is smart, and also a stubborn girl.

I mahi au i te māra, ā, āe, i pānui pukapuka, ā, i tunu hoki au i te kai mā te whānau.
I worked in the garden, yeah, I read books and I cooked for the family.

Ka kite mātou i te Wind Wand, ā, ka hīkoi i te ara moana.
We saw the Wind Wand, and walked on the beach walkway.

Ka tae ki te teihana, ā, ka hīkoi mātou i te taha moana ki Te Papa.
We arrived at the station and we walked by the sea to Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum.

Ko Papatūānuku te aorangi tuatoru mai i te rā. Kei waho atu i a tātou ko Matawhero, ā, kei waho atu i a ia, ko Pareārau. Ā, ko Kōpū, ko Whiro kei roto atu.
The Earth is the third planet from the sun. Farther out from us is Mars, and out from Mars is Jupiter. Further in from us our Venus and Mercury.

Ko te rā, ko te marama hei rama, ā, ko te ahi hei whakamahana i a mātou.
The sun and the moon were our lights, and the fire was all we had to keep us warm.

I ngā hōtoke kei ngā raorao, kei ngā mānia, ā, i ngā raumati kei ngā maunga.
In the winter they were on the foothills and on the plains, and in the summer they were in the mountains.

Hei tā Michale Naera, heamana o Te Mana Hauora, he uaua ki ētahi tūroro Māori te mārama ki ngā rerenga kōrero hauora reo pākeha, ā, ka māmā ake me he Māori te reo.
Te Mana Hauora chair Michael Naera said Māori patients struggled with English medical terms and would find it easier if they were in Māori.

He tino pai te hui, ā, he tino pai anō hoki te kai.
The meeting was very good, and the food was also very good.

He tangata whakatika waka i te rā, ā, he pene whakangahau tōna mō ngā huihuinga whakahirahira.
He is a person who fixes cars during the day, and he has an entertaining song for important gatherings.

I haere au ki to awa ki to hīkoi, i toro auto ki tōku hoa, ā, i kai tahi hoki me tōku whānau.
I went to the river to go walking, I visited my friend and I are together with my family.

Kei runga ake i ngā pakiaka ko te kahiwi, kei runga ake i tērā ko ngā manga, ā, kei runga ake i ērā ko te kāpuhipuhi.
Up from the roots is the trunk, up from the trunk are the main branches, and above those comes the crown/fine branches and leaves.

Kei te mahi au i taku taumahi, kei te whapai i tōku whare, ā, kei te haere hoki ki tōku marae.
I'm working on my assignment, I'm cleaning my house and I am going to my marae.

I te pō i kai hapa au, ā, i mahi au.
At night I had dinner and worked.