Māori Grammar

PreviousBack Next
Te Reo Māori Level 1
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

The present tense is indicated by using the words kei te at the start of the sentence. This can be used with a verb (walking, singing, running, eating...) to say: "at the moment, I am walking", etc.

Kei te hikoi ahau.
At the moment, I am walking.

Kei te oma koe.
At the moment, you are running.

Kei te waiata ia.
At the moment, she is singing.

Kei te pānui au i te pukapuka.
I am reading the book.

Kei te tuhituhi ia i te reta.
She is writing the letter.

Kei te oma rātou ki te kura.
They are running to school.

Kei te tākaro a Pita i te papa tākaro.
Pita is playing at the playground.

Kei te waiata te kapa haka.
The haka group is singing.

Kei te mahi a Rangi i te whare.
Rangi is working at home.

Kei te moe ngā tamariki.
The children are sleeping.

Kei te kai a Hōne i te āporo.
Hōne is eating the apple.

Kei te tuhituhi ia i te reta.
He is writing the letter.

Kei te kōrero ahau ki a koe.
I am talking to you.

Kei te kai ahau i te āporo.
I am eating an apple.

Kei te horoi koe i ngā rīhi.
You are washing the dishes.

Kei te whakarongo koutou.
You are listening.

Kei te hiahia āwhina koe?
Do you need a hand?

Kei te pai rawa atu.
Really good.

Kei te tika.
That's correct.

Kei te haere tāua ki taua hui.
The two of us are going to that hui.

Kei te whakaaro au ki ōku mātoua tūpuna.
I am thinking about my ancestors.

Kei te kai rāua.
They're eating.

Kei te hoki au ki te kāinga.
I'm returning home.

Kei te tahitahi a Taika i te whare.
Taika is sweeping the house.

Kei te hari au i ngā pūhera ki te waka.
I am carrying the purchases to the car

Kei te hīkoi a Kauri ki te kura.
Kauri is walking to school.

Kei te mahi ngā tāne ki konā.
The men are working there near you.

Kei te kai rāua i ngā kūmara.
They are eating the kūmara.

Kei te waiata a Jerome.
Jerome is singing.

Kei te paki te rā.
It's fine today.

Kei te ako au i te reo Māori.
I am learning the Māori language.

Kei te titiro a Tawa.
Tawa is looking.

Kei te tuhituhi au i te rārangi kai.
I'm writing the shopping list.

Kei te haere ia ki te hokomaha hoko kai ai.
He's going to the supermarket to buy food.

Kei te mau a Pani i te ika.
Pani is carrying the fish.

Kei te hoki ia ki te mahi i tēnei rā.
I am returning to work today.

Kei te horoi a Honi i te waka.
Honi is washing the car.

Kei te hē koe!
You are wrong!

Kei te waiata a Ari.
Ari is singing.

Kei te mōhio koe.
You know.

Kei te kōrero au ki a ia.
I am speaking to her.

Kei te oma te tama ki konei.
The boy is running here.

Kei te tino hiamoe koe.
You are very sleepy.

Kei te hui a Rama rāua ko Pita ki te pātaka kōrero.
Rama and Pita are meeting in the library.

Kei te whakapakari tinana rāua ki te whare hākinakina.
Those two are exercising at the gym.

Kei te whakaaro au ki ōku tīpuna.
I am thinking of my ancestors.

Kei te haere ngā tamariki ki waho
The children are going outside.

Kei te oma te tama ki korā
The boy is running over there.

Kei te kai parakuihi te whānau.
The family is having breakfast.

Kei te waiata rāua.
Those two are singing.

Kei te pupuhi te wūruhi.
The wolf is blowing.

Kei te katakata a Raureka.
Raureka is laughing.

Kei te mihi te koroua ki ngā manuhiri.
The elderly man is acknowledging the visitors.

Kei te tangi te pēpi.
The baby is crying.

Kei te mau mōhiti ia.
He is wearing glasses.

Kei te hīkoi au ki te tāone.
I'm walking to town.

Kei te hoki rāua ki te kāinga.
Those two are returning home.

Kei te whātuitui kākahu ia.
He is folding clothes.

Kei te marino tonu te moana.
The sea is still calm.

Kei te kai ngā pakeke i ngā kina me ngā pāua. Kei te pūhaehae mātou.
The elderly are eating kina and pāua. We are jealous.

Kei te tahu ia i te ahi i te marae.
He is lighting the fire at the marae.

Kei te tika tāu whakautu.
Your answer is correct.

Kei te āhua māharahara koe.
You are somewhat anxious.

Kei te whakapakari tinana rātou ki te papa tākaro.
They are exercising at the playground.

Kei te patu a Hera i te whāriki.
Hera is beating the carpet.

Kei te kato pūhā au ā te Hātarei.
I am picking pūhā on Saturday.

Kei te karanga mai te kuia.
The elder is calling.

Kei te ako au i ētehi waiata.
I am learning some songs.

Kei te tango a Makere i ōna hū.
Maggie is removing her shoes.

Kei te moe te pēpi.
The baby is sleeping.

Kei te haere au ki te papa hokohoko.
I'm going to the mall.

Kei te ako au i tētehi waiata.
I am learning a song.

Kei te kōrero ia.
She's talking.

Kei te hiakai au, engari, kore kau he kai!
I am starving, but, there is absolutely no food!

Kei te kōrero mātou i te whare.
We are talking in the house/about the house.

Kei te oma koe.
You are running.

Kei te tunu koe i te tina?
Are you cooking dinner?

Kei te mahi ngā tāne ki korā
The men are working over there.

Kei te whakamārama ia i ngā kōrero pakitara ki ngā tamariki.
She is explaining the stories to the children.

Kei te kite koe i ngā manu rā?
Can you see those birds?

Kei te tangi te kōtiro.
The girl is crying.

Kei te mahi ahau.
I'm working.

Kei te kai ahau.
I'm eating.

Kei te kite koe i ngā manu rā?
Can you see those birds?

Kei te hoki au ki te mahi.
I'm returning to work.

Kei te āhua makariri a Rangi.
Rangi is somewhat cold.

Kei te tahitahi a Ataahua i te papa.
Ataahua is sweeping the floor.

Kei te titiro taua ngeru ki tāna kai.
That cat is looking at his meal.

Kei te haere a Rangi rāua ko Tame.
Rangi and Tame are going.

Kei te heke iho mai nei te ua.
The rain is coming down.

Kei te oma rātou.
They are running.