Māori Grammar

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The family were playing the game

past tense using i and i te

Kei te is the tense marker used to indicate that something is happening in the present:

Kei te oma au.
I am running.

The past tense is indicated by using i te.

I te oma au.
I was running.

I te hīkoi a Nikau ki te kura.
Nikau was walking to school.

I te kōrero ngā wahine.
The women were talking.

I te haere rātou.
They were going.

I te whakareri a Mere mō te haerenga ki Tāhuna.
Mere was preparing for the trip to Queenstown.

I te hoki mai a Rewi i te mahi i te ahiahi.
Rewi was returning from work in the evening.

I te pīrangi koe ki te kaputī?
Did you want a tea?

I te moe ngā pēpi.
The baby was sleeping.

I te mutunga o te pōwhiri, ka tū te hākari.
At the end of the welcome, a feast was held.

I te hanga rātou i te whare.
They were building the house.

I te kōrero a Pita.
Pita was talking.

I te raka tonu te hōro.
The hall was still locked.

Ka kōrero a Rewi ki te kaiako hei te Rātū.
Rewi will speak to the teacher on Tuesday.

I te haere au ki te toa ki te hoko kai.
I was going to the shop to buy food.

I te whakawhitinga o te katipō i te matapihi, mea oma.
The spider ran across the window.

I te whana te tama i te pōro.
The boy was kicking the ball.

I te mātakitaki au i te kiriata me ōku hoa.
I was watching the movie with my friends.

Ka tunu a Mere i te kai mō te whānau ā te pō.
Mere will cook dinner for the family tonight.

I te topenga o te rākau, ka riri te iwi.
When the tree was cut, the people were angry.

I te tākaro ngā tamariki i te pāmu i te rā wera
The children were playing at the farm on the hot day.

I te hīkoi rātou i nanahi.
They were walking yesterday.

Ka rere te waka rererangi ki Tāmaki Makaurau ā te ahiahi.
The plane will fly to Auckland in the afternoon.

I te Mane ka haere ahau ki Taupō.
I went to Taupo on Monday.

I te matekai ngā tamariki.
The children were hungry.

Ka whakatika a Hine i te whare ā te ata.
Hine will clean the house in the morning.

I te whakarongo koutou?
Were you listening?

I te inumanga o te pia, ka hauranga rātou.
On drinking the beer, they got drunk.

Ka haere rātou ki te moana ki te kaukau.
They will go to the beach to swim.

Ka horoi koe i ngā rīhi i muri i te kai.
You will wash the dishes after the meal.

I te haere rātou ki te moana ki te kauhoe.
They were going to the beach to swim.

I te tunu a Hana i te keke mō te hui.
Hana was baking the cake for the meeting.

Ka waiata te kapa haka i te hui.
The haka group will sing at the gathering.

I te pupuhi te hau.
The wind was blowing.

I te pupuhi te hau inanahi.
The wind was blowing yesterday.

I te piki au i te rākau.
I was climbing the tree.

I te moe a Amaru.
Amaru was asleep.

I te hari katoa hāunga anō a Aroha.
Everyone was happy except Aroha.

I te mutunga wiki i haere au ki te awa,te kura, te toa hoki.
On the weekend I went to the river, to the school and also to the shop.

I te kai te kōtero i te āporo.
The girl was eating the apple.

Ka tuhituhi a Pita i te reta mō tōna hoa.
Pita will write the letter for his friend.

Ka haere au ki te toa āpōpō ki te hoko kai.
I will go to the shop tomorrow to buy food.

I te hanga te kaiako i ngā mahi mō te akomanga.
The teacher was preparing the work for the class.

I te kaha o te rā ki to whiti, ka pōngia iho ahau.
The sun was so bright I had to close my eyes.

I te whakarongo mātou ki te waiata i te rā whānau.
We were listening to the song at the birthday.

I te pānui au.
I was reading.

I te matapihi tata tonu, ka haere ia ki te kūaha.
She walked from near the window to the door.

Ka haere mātou ki te whare pikitia hei te Rāmere.
We will go to the cinema on Friday.

I te kōrero au ki a ia.
I was speaking to her.

I te ako a Pita i te reo Māori i te kura.
Pita was learning te reo Māori at school.