Māori Grammar

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

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

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

E hiahia pukapuka ana ahau.
I want a book.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E takoto ana rāua.
They're lying down.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E paru ana ana ringa.
He has dirty hands.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E paki ana.
It is sunny.

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

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

E kihi ana a Taika kāua ko Aria.
Taika and Aria are kissing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E ana te tamaiti tāne.
The boy is standing.

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

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

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

E titiro ana a Ari.
Ari is looking.

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

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

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

E pēhea ana koutou?
How are you all now?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E more ana a Hine.
Hine is sleeping.

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

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

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

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

E waiata ana rātou.
They are singing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E ana te whare.
The house is standing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E heke ana te hukarere.
The snow is falling.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E whiti ana te .
The sun is shining.

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

E kata ana a Hēmi.
Hēmi is laughing.

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

E tika ana te kōrero.
The statement is correct.

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

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

E ua ana.
It is raining.

E āwhina ana a Aria i a Honi.
Aria is helping Honi.

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

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

E kōrero ana ngā wāhine.
The women are talking.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

E moe ana te pēpi.
The baby is sleeping.

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

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

E haere ana a Nikau.
Nikau is going.

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

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

E mauāhara ana a Tame ki a Pita.
Tame is holding a grudge against Pita.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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