Māori Grammar

Using 'i' to mean 'in', 'by' or 'at' - i

The particle i can often indicate direction from something:

Kei te hīkloi au i te whare.
I am walking from the house.

However, in some cirumstances, i can mean "by", "at" or "in", depending on context.

Kei te hīkoi au i te whare.
I am walking in house.

Kei te hīkoi au i te whare.
I am walking by the house.

 

I tākaro netipōro mātou i te ata o te Rāhoroi.
We played netball on Saturday morning.

Ka hoatu ahau i te pukapuka ki a koe.
I will give you the book.

Ka kai tātou i tētahi ika nui.
We will eat a big fish.

Ki te tiki i tō tungane i te pahi.
To pick up your brother from the bus.

Whakaorangia mātou i te kino.
Deliver us from evil.

Kei te whakaoti rātou i ā rātou taumahi.
They are competing their assignments.

Oma atu i a ia!
Run away from her!

Ko mataku māua i a ia.
We were frightened by him.

Kei roto ngā putiputi i te ipu.
The flowers are in the vase.

Ka haere au ki te tiki miraka i te pouaka makariri.
I will go and fetch the milk from the fridge.

I tupu au i Te Tonga.
I grew up down South.

E kihi ana a Hēmi i a Ataahua.
Hēmi is kissing Ataahua.

I kaukau ngā tamariki i te whanga.
The children swam in the bay.

Kua whakareri tāku tāne i te parakuihi.
My husband has prepared breakfast.

E taupoki ana ia i te māra.
She's digging the garden.

E kore au e ngaki i te māra.
I won't weed the garden.

Kei te waruwaru rātou i ngā rīwai.
They are peeling the spuds.

Kua mākū katoa ngā tamariki i te ua.
The children are all wet from the rain.

Kei te rapu tā mātou ngeru i tāna kai.
Our cat is searching for his food.

Kei te whakatokopā au i a koe.
I am burping you.

Kei te āwhina rāua i a Tawa.
They (2) are helping Tawa.

Ka hanga a Ataahua i tōku whare.
Ataahua will build my house.

Kuhu atu ki roto i tō moenga.
Get in your bed.

I aha koe i te mutunga wiki.
What did you do in the weekend?

Kei te moe ia i tōna moenga.
He's sleeping on his bed.

Ka kohi au i te kaimoana.
I will collect sea food.

Te whakamau atu i te kope mā.
Putting on a fresh nappy

Ka tīmata rāua ki te horoi i te whare.
They have started to wash the house.

Me kau hoki ki hea i te tawhiti ki waho o te moana nui?
Where could he swim to, from such a distance out in the ocean?

Ka hoe atu ngā tāngata i uta ki tai.
The people will paddle from the shore towards the sea.

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

Āe, kua kai au i te tītī.
Yes I have eaten mutton bird.

Ka tunu au i te parāoa ā tēnei pō.
I'll bake the bread tonight.

Kei te mau ia i tētahi pōtae, i tētahi poraka, i tētahi tīhate, me tētahi hāte hoki.
She is wearing a hat, a jersey, a t-shirt and a shirt.

Ka haere i te ara i runga i te rangitoto, ke ahu ki Onehunga.
[They] went along the path over the scoria and headed to Onehunga.

Kei te pata au i te tōhi mā te parakuihi.
I'm buttering the toast for breakfast.

I pakaru te wini i a Taika.
The window was broken by Taika.

He maha ngā moni kua pau i a ia i te toa.
She has spent lots of money at the shop.

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

Kua pau i a ia te paraoa te kai.
He has eaten up the bread.

Inapō au i whakaoti ai i taku mahi.
Yesterday I finished my work.

Kei te mau hū au pērā i ō Michael Jordan.
I am wearing shoes like Michael Jordan's.

I rārāina ngā tuna i runga ake i te mānuka poa.
The eels were smoked over smouldering mānuka.

Ka āwhina aua manu i te tīwaiwaka.
Those birds help the fantail.

Ka hopu a Poti i te manu.
Pussy catches the bird.

Kua whakarite tāku tāne i te parakuihi.
My husband has prepared breakfast.