Māori Grammar
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Comparatives are used to say that something is better, bigger, faster, etc than something else. In te reo Māori this uses ake i...:
He ātaahua ake ahau i a koe.
I am more beautiful than you.
He nui ake a Ahitereiria i a Aotearoa.
Australia is bigger than New Zealand.
When saying that something smaller, ihi... i is generally used:
He iti iho tōku whare i tōna.
My house is smaller than hers.
He paku iho a Rangotonga i a Aotearoa.
Rarotonga is smaller than New Zealand.
It is grammatically correct to use iho when saying something is worse than something else - that is, less good - but speakers often use ake:
He kino iho tēnei whare i tērā whare..
This house is worse than that house.
He nui ake tāu mea i tāku mea.
Your thing is bigger than my thing.He tere ake taku motokā t tōu.
My car is faster than yours.He iti iho te utu mō ngā whare i Rotorua i a Tāmaki.
The prices of houses are cheaper in Rotorua than Auckland.He nui ake te utu mō ngā whare i Tāmaki i a Rotorua.
The prices of houses are more expensive in Auckland than in Rotorua.He kaha ake tērā tama i tāna tama.
That boy is stronger than his boy.He teitei ake tērā rākau i tērā rākau.
That tree is taller than that tree.He makariri ake a Aotearoa i a Ahitereiria.
New Zealand is colder than Australia.He tāroaroa ake a Hēmi i a Manu.
Hēmi is taller than Manu.He reka ake te tiakorete i te kawhe.
Chocolate is more delicious than coffee.He pōturi iho taku motokā i tōu.
My car is slower than yours.He mahana ake tērā paraikete i tō paraiketre.
That blanket is warmer than your blanket.He iti iho a Aoteara i a Ahitereiria.
New Zealand is smaller than Australia.He paru aku tēnei rūma i te ipu para.
Your room is dirtier than the rubbish bin.He pai ake te tīma Kahurangi i te tīma Āwhiowhio.
The Blues are better than the Hurricanes.He poto iho a Mia i a Koa.
Mia is shorter than Koa.He reka atu tēnei rare i tērā rare.
This lolly is yummier than that lolly.He iti ake tōku whare i tōna.
My house is smaller than hers.He reka atu te tiakorete i te kawhe.
Chocolate is more delicious than coffee.He pai atu te tīma Kahurangi i te tīma Āwhiowhio.
The Blues are better than the Hurricanes.