Māori Grammar

PreviousBack Next
Te Reo Māori Level 1
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

Sentences in the present tense often use kei te:

Kei te haere au.
I am going.

This can also be expressed with the tense marker e... ana...:

E haere ana au.
I am going.

This is different from other tense markers in that the verb (in this case, haere) comes between the two words e and ana instead of after them, as in kei te.

Also, e... ana... can be be used to indicate action in the past or in the future as well as the present:

E haere ana au.
I am going.
I was going.
I will be going.

Whether it is past, present or future, e... ana... relates to continious action ("I was going" rather than "I went" or "I will be going" rather than "I will go").

E paru ana ana ringa.
He has dirty hands.

E haere ana au ki te mahi.
I am going to work.

E kihi ana ia i tētahi ngeru pango.
She is kissing a black cat.

E haere ana tātou ki te hui raranga.
We are going to the weaving meeting.

E moe ana te kuia .
The old lady is speaking.

E tatari ana au ki te rārangi kia hoko ai i ōku .
I am waiting in the queue to pay for my shoes.

E whai ana ngā tamariki i te pōro.
The children are chasing the ball.

E pōuto ana ia i te rākau .
He is chopping down the treee.

E rere ake ana te manu ki te kōmata o te rākau.
The bird is flying to the top of the tree.

E titiro ana te tauhou ki a au.
The stranger was looking at me.

E mohio ana au ki ana kupu.
I know what her words mean.

E noho ana au i te rohe o Pōneke.
I am living in the Wellington region.

E kihi ana ia i tātahi ngeru pango.
She is kissing a black cat.

E mātakitaki ana rātou i te netipāora.
They are watching the netball.

E whakapono ana ia ki te Atua.
She believes in God.

E kauhoe ana ia ki te moutere.
She is going to swim to the island.

E mauāhara ana a Honi ki a Pāora.
Honi is holding a grudge against Pāora.

E pīrangi ana a Hana ki tēnā aihikirimi.
Hana desires/wants that icecream by you.

E haere ana mātou ki Wānaka ā tērā wiki.
We are going to Wānaka next week.

E tika ana te kōrero.
The statement is correct.

E pānui ana te tama i te pukapuka.
The boy is reading the book.

E kaingākau ana ia ki tana mokopuna ki a Tīwana.
She is very fond of her grandchild, Tīwana.

E mōhio ana au ki te tangata e kōrero koe.
I know the person you're talking about.

E waiata ana ngā tamariki.
The children are (or were) singing.

E kihi ana a Tame kāua ko Kauri.
Tame and Kauri are kissing.

E ako ana au ki te raranga harakeke.
I am learning to weave flax.

E mātaki-kiriata ana mātou.
We're movie-watching.

E whakamutu ana ia i tana horonga.
She is finishing the washing.

E hui ana te kōmihana ia marama te rua .
The Commission meets for two days in each month.

E titiro ana a Nikau.
Nikau is looking.

E mōhio ana ia he porotaka te ao.
He knows that the earth is round.

E kauhoe ana te hoiho i te moana.
The yellow-eyed penguin is swimming in the sea.

E whakatipua ana te pātītī e Papa--ā-nuku.
The grass is being grown by Papa-tū-ā-nuku.

E haere ana ngā tamariki katoa ki waho.
All of the children are going outside.

E ua ana te ua.
It is raining (lit: "the rain is raining").

E hoki ana ia ki te kani.
He was returning to the saw.

E mātakitaki ana te ngeru ki te manu.
The cat is watching the bird.

E ua ana.
It is raining.

E moe ana te pēpi.
The baby is sleeping.

E mōhio ana koe ki te kaukau?
Are you knowing how to swim?

E haere ana a Amaru.
Amaru is going.

E kata ana a Aroha.
Aroha is laughing.

E mahi ana ia i Pōneke.
She works in Wellington.

E hīkoi ana rātou ki te tūnga pahi.
They're walking to the bus stop.

E hiahia ana au ki tērā kākahu kahurangi.
I want that blue dress.

E aroha ana ahau ki a Kauri.
I love Kauri.

E ana tāna.
What she/he said was incorrect.

E whāngai ana a Rangi i te kurī.
Rangi is feeding the dog.

E kōrero ana au ki a ia.
I am speaking to her.

E kōrero ana a Hemi ki te kaiako.
Hemi is talking to the teacher.

E haere ana au ki te rūma horoi hīrere ai.
I'm going to the bathroom for a shower.

E tunu ana a Mere i te kai.
Mere is cooking the food.

E haere mai ana te ope ki runga i te marae.
That group over there is coming onto the marae.

E titiro tonu ana aku whatu, ka whakairia oratia.
My eyes were still open and yet you suspended me alive.

E pīrangi ana ahau ki te āporo .
I am wanting that apple.

E tātaku ana tērā i ngā kauhau o nehe, me te kōrero i ngā mahi a ngā tūpuna i mahia i tēnei taha.
They recited the old recitations from ancient times, and talked about the deeds of the ancestors.

E whaikōrero ana te koroua.
The elderly man is making a speech.

E pēhea ana koutou?
How are you all now?

E tae katoa mai ana ngā manuhiri.
All the visitors are arriving.

E paki ana.
It is sunny.

E whakakākahuana ia i a ia anō ki ōna kākahu tino pai.
He's getting himself dressed in his best clothes.

E noho ana au i te rohe o Pōneke.
I am living in the Wellington area.

E haere ana ngā wāhine ki te toa.
The women are going to the shop.

E haere atu ana au ki .
I'm going over there.

E huna ana te pūngāwerewere i roto i te pouaka rēta.
The spider is hiding in the letterbox.

E hiahia pukapuka ana ahau.
I want a book.

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

E kauhoe ana rātou i ngā ngaru.
They are swimming in the waves.

E haere ana ia ki te whakarongo.
He is listening.

E mea ana koe ko Ponga hei ariki mōu?
Are you saying that Pongo is to be your lord?

E kai ana ngā tamariki i ngā āporo.
The children are eating the apples.

Kāore au e ako ana i te reo Māori.
I am not learning the Māori language.

E kāia ana hoki he tino toa koe ki taua mahi.
It is also said that you were a real champion at that job.

E māngere ana ngā tamariki i te pouaka whakaata.
The television is making the children lazy.

E tata ana ia ki te matapihi ka haere tonu ia ki te kūaha.
Being near the window, she walked to the door.

E takoto ana rāua.
They're lying down.

E inu ana ia i te kapu wai.
She is drinking a cup of water.

E ana te waka ki te huarahi.
The car is parked on the road.

E whakapono ana au ki a koe.
I am believing in you.

E horoi ana a Ari i a ia.
Ari is washing himself.

E more ana a Hine.
Hine is sleeping.

E rerere ana te manu i runga tata iho i te ngata.
The bird is hovering just above the snail.

E kai ana ngā tamariki i te hapa.
The children are eating dinner.

E titiro ana te tauhou ki ahau.
The stranger was looking at me.

E pēhea ana tērā kerēwatiki?
How is that clever dickie?

E haere ana koe ki te kura āpōpō.
You're going to school tomorrow.

E ana ia ki mua i Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi.
He is standing in front of the Treaty of Waitangi.

E whana ana te tama i te pōro.
The boy is kicking the ball.

E kimi ana te ngeru ki te kiore.
The cat is searching for the mouse.

E pīrangi ana ahau ki te hoki ti Taupō.
I want to return to Taupō.

E tākaro ana rāua i te papa tākaro.
They (two people) are playing at the playground.

E rapu ana ia i tētahi rangimarietanga.
He's looking for peace of mind.

E mōhio ana ahau ki te kaukau.
I am knowing how to swim.

E kimi ana a Manu i tāna waea pūkoro.
Manu is searching for his cell phone.

E mau ana mātou i te wahie i te rori ki te whare.
We are carrying the firewood from the road to the house.

E pēhea ana tērā tāne pai?
How is that good man?

E moe ana te paruauru i roto i te wharau.
The gardener is sleeping in the shed.

E whakarongo ana ngā pirihimana ki te tangata.
The policemen are listening to the person.

E kōrero ana ngā wāhine.
The women are talking.

E haere ana tātou ki te toa āpōpō.
We will be going to the store tomorrow.

E hiahia ana ia ki te kani.
He wanted the saw.

E ana te tamaiti tāne.
The boy is standing.

E tika ana kia mihi au ki a koe me whānau i tēnei pōuri.
It is appropriate for me to greet you and your family at this sad time.

E pīrangi ana a Māui ki tēnā aihikirimi.
Māui desires/wants that icecream by you.

E tika ana me ki te mihi atu ki a koe.
It is appropriate to stand and acknowledge you..

E whakatā ana tāua i te ngahere.
We (you and I) are resting in the forest.

E pōwhiri ana rātou ki a mātou.
They are welcoming us.

E tangi haere mai ana te ope.
The group are weeping as they come.

E whakamārama ana te kaiako i te mahi ki ngā tamariki.
The teacher is explaining the work to the children.

E noho ana mātou i Kawakawa.
We were living in Kawakawa.

E āwhina ana ahai i a ia.
I am helping him.

E mataku ana ia ki a au?
Is she afraid of me?

E whiti ana te .
The sun is shining.

E āwhina ana a Koa i a Niko.
Koa is helping Niko.

E waiata ana māua i te hui.
We (me and one other person) are singing at the gathering.

E mōhio ana au ki ana kupu.
I am knowing what her words mean.

E mātakitaki pouaka whakaata ana a Manu.
Manu is television watching.

E mahi ana au i te hōhipera.
I work at the hospital.

E kīia ana te kōrero...
The saying goes...

E oma ana ngā tamariki ki te kura.
The children are running to school.

E haere ana mātou ki te one āpōpō.
We are going to the beach tomorrow.

E whai ana ngā tamariki i te pōro.
The children are chasing the ball.

E ua ana ki waho.
It's raining outside.

E whiti ana te ki Kaikohe.
The sun is shining in Kaikohe.

E haere ana mātou ki te one.
We are going to the beach.

E kimi ana a Manu i tāna waea pūkoro.
Manu is searching for his cell phone.

E kai ana te kurī i te kai.
The dog is eating the food.

E tapahi ana ia ki te kani.
He was cutting with the saw.

E whiri ana au i tētahi kōnae.
I am braiding a food basket.

E haka ana te iwi whenua i te haka.
The local people were performing the haka.

E kata hoki ana a Aria.
Aria is also laughing.

E haere ana koe ki hea?
Where are you going now?

E kōwhiti ana te tamaiti i ngā kuku.
The mussels are being shelled by that child by you.

E maumahara ana ahau ki rāua arunga e te kurī .
I remember them being chased by that dog.

E tono ana ia kia haere ia ki te whakatā.
He is requesting to go for a break.

E kai ana te pēpi i ngā rīwai.
The baby is eating the potatoes.

E pīrangi ana koe ki tēnei hāte kōwhai?
Are you wanting this yellow t-shirt?

E mārama ana au ki te kōrero.
I understand what is being said.

E whakarongo ana māua ko Paora ki te tumuaki.
Paora and I are listening to the head-master.

E pōwhiri ana rātou ki a mātou.
They are welcoming us.

E pīrangi ana a Taika ki tēnā aihikirimi.
Taika is wanting that icecream by you.

E haere ana koe ki te kura āpōpō.
You're going to school tomorrow.

E hiahia ana ahau ki te ako i te reo Māori.
I want to learn Māori.

E hiahia ana ia ki te haere ki tāwāhi.
Do you want to go to.

E maumahara ana ahau ki taku tino matukutanga.
I am remembering being very frightened.

E ana te whare.
The house is standing.

E waiata ana rātou.
They are singing.

E kōrero ana ia ki ngā tamariki.
He is talking to the children.

E heke ana te hukarere.
The snow is falling.

E ake ana ia ki te marae.
He is standing up on the marae.

E puta ana ngā tamariki katoa ki waho.
All of the children are going outside.

E moe ana au i tētahi rākau kākāriki.
I am sleeping in a green tree.

E hui ana te kōmihana o te Taura Whiri ia marama te rua .
The Māori Language Commission meets each month for two days.

E kauhoe ana ia ki te motu.
She is going to swim to the island.