Māori Grammar
| Previous | Back | Next |
Mai is one of the direction particles in te reo Māori, along with atu (away from), iho (downwards) and ake (upwards).
It is used in sentences that clearly mean "towards me":
Haere mai.
Come to me.
Kōrero mai.
Talk to me.
Whakarongo mai.
Listen to me.
Titiro mai!
Look here!
Kua hoki mai ia.
She has returned (here).
Kua tae mai ngā manuhiri.
The guests have arrived (here).
However, it is often used in te reo Māori where a meaning of "towards me" is not obvious.
For example:
Kua noho mai ia ki Tāmaki Makaurau mō ngā tau e rima.
She has been living in Auckland for five years.
The mai does not mean “towards me”; it shows that her residence began in the past and continues up to the present moment. In this context, mai means "from then up to this point in time":
Kua mōhio mai au ki tēnei tikanga mō te tekau tau.
I have known this custom for ten years.
Āe, haere mai ki te kai.
Yes, come to eat.Kei te menemene mai te pēpi.
The baby is smiling at me.Kō ēnei waka e rua, i ū mai ki Hokianga.
These two canoes landed at Hokianga.Haere mai ki konei!
Come here! (to this place/to where i am)Tēnā haria mai he āporo māku, e kō?
Can you bring me an apple please, dear?Kua tae mai rātou i Rotorua.
They have arrived here from Rototua.Haere mai, tamariki mā!
Come here children!Me kōmuhu mai koe ki a au.
You should whisper it to me.Kia ora mai tātou katoa.
Greetings to all of us.Ka haere mai ia āpōpō.
She is coming here tomorrow.Ki te tae mai a Haki mā, ka tere oti ngā mahi.
If Haki and the others arrive, then the work will be.Tēnā koutou kua hui mai nei i tēnei rā!
Greetings to you who are gathered here on this day!Ka hoki mai au ākuanei.
I'll come back soon.Titiro mai, whakarongo mai, kōrero mai!
Look, listen and speak!Kei te hiahia au kia whakarongo mai koe!
I want you to listen!E oma atu ana ngā tamariki.
The children are running away.Ka haere mai rātou a te Mane.
They will come on Monday.Tukuna mai mā te tuhinga kūkara.
Send it to me via google doc.Kua hoki mai ia.
She has returned.Whiua mai te pōro.
Throw me the ball.Tangohia mai ngā tūru.
Take the chairs down.Kua tae mai a Taika.
Taika has arrived.Kei te ata ka eke mai ka patu.
In the morning they will arrive and attack.Ā, kua hoki mai taku mokopuna.
Ah, my grandchild has returned.Ka puta mai te Ao Mārama.
The world of light came forth.Ka rīngi mai ia a te awatea.
She'll ring in the middle of the day.Kahore ia i whakawātea mai mua o te haka.
He didn't move away from the front of the haka.Tae tonu mai te ope ki konei, ka eke ki te marae.
As soon as the party got here, they went to the marae.Kia tae mai pea ia.
I hope she comes.Mauria mai ngā toka ki tēnei taha o te whare.
Bring the stones to this side of the house.Haere mai ki te kaukau.
Come for a bath.Tatari mai i konā, e te tau.
Wait there, my darling.I haere mai au ki te inu,.
I came here to drink.I hoki mai koe inanahi?
Did you come bach yesterday?Ka hoki mai au i te rua haora.
I'll be back in two hours.Ka tae mai rāua ki Ōtautahi.
They arrived here in Christchurch.I tau mai te waka ki uta, me te karanga atu a te iwi e tatari ana.
The canoe came to shore while the people who were waiting called out.Ka hoki mai au āpōpō.
I will return tomorrow.Oma atu, tamariki mā!
Run away children!Kua hoki mai ia i te pahi.
She has come back from the bus.Tatari mai i konā, e te tau.
Wait there, my darling.Kei te whai mai koe i ahau.
Do you follow me?I rere mai te kaipuke.
The ship sailed here.Pānuihia mai te whārangi tuarua.
Read me the second page.Auē! E haere tonu mai ana te pūru!
Oh! The bull is still coming!Tokohia kē mai nei ngā tāngata e tae mai ana mō te kai!
What a lot of people are arriving for the food!E noho mai ana tāku tamāhine i Ōtautahi.
My daughter is living in Christchurch.Karanga mai, karanga mai, karanga mai!
Call me! Call me! Call me!Me kōrero mai anō koe.
You'd better speak to me again.Ka tū mai Aorangi, te tipuna maunga o Waitaha.
There stands Aorangi, the ancestral mountain of the Waikato people.