Māori Grammar

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Habitual action - ai

ai (habitual / customary action)

Function (in this sense): ai is a post-verbal particle used to signal that the event described by the verb is customary, habitual, or regularly occurring—something that happens as a normal pattern (“usually”, “regularly”, “always”). (Kupu)

Core pattern

A very common pattern is:

(Time expression), V + ai + Subject (+ other complements)

Notably, in many habitual sentences the verb appears without a tense/aspect marker (so you do not typically see kei te / i te / e … ana / kua / i etc. right before the verb), and the habitual meaning is carried by ai placed immediately after the verb. (Kupu)

Typical meanings in English

Depending on context, V + ai is often best translated as:

“(subject) usually V …”
“(subject) regularly V …”
“(subject) always V … (as a habit)”

This reading is often strengthened by time adverbials like i ngā ata “in the mornings”, i ngā Rāhoroi “on Saturdays”, ia rā “every day”, etc. (Māori Dictionary)

Notes on scope (important for a dictionary entry)

ai is polyfunctional in Māori (it is used in several constructions besides habitual action), so the habitual sense is specifically the one where ai marks customary/regular occurrence of the verb phrase. (Kupu)

Examples (habitual ai)

Waiata ai ngā manu i ngā ata.
The birds usually sing in the mornings. (Kupu)

Kai ai te ngeru i ngā kiore.
The cat always eats mice. (Kupu)

I ngā ata, haere ai ngā kaimahi ki te ngahere.
In the mornings, the workers always go to the bush. (Māori Dictionary)

I ngā raumati, kaukau ai au i te moana.
In the summer, I regularly swim in the sea. (Māori Dictionary)

Titiro ai au ki te ua.
I always watch the rain. (Māori Dictionary)

Oho ai au i te waru karaka i te ata.
I usually wake up at eight o’clock in the morning. (Māori Dictionary)

Ia rā, ia rā, oho ai au ki te horoi i ngā kākahu.
Every day, I always get up to wash the clothes. (Māori Dictionary)

Haere ai au ki te marae ki te āwhina.
I regularly go to the marae to help. (New Zealand Curriculum)

Ko tēnei te marae e tū ai ngā hui kapa haka.
This is the marae where kapa haka competitions/events are held (as a regular practice). (New Zealand Curriculum)

Kai ai au.
I always eat. (Māori Grammar)

▶

She is always swimming in the sea

Use of "ai" as habitual action

Oho ai au i te wari karaka i te ata.
I usually wake up at eight o'clock in the morning.

Mau pāhau ai ia? Kāo!
Does he always have a beard? No!

Āe. Hīkoi ai au ia rā, ia rā.
Yes, I always walk each and every day.

Ia rā, ia rā, tunu ai au i te hapa.
Every day, (each day) I always cook dinner.

Haere ai mātou ki Rotorua i ngā hararei.
We regularly go to Rotorua in the holidays.

Ia rā, ia rā, oho ai au ki te horoi i ngā kākahu.
Every day, I always get up to wash the clothes.

Noho ai rātou ki Waiwera ia tau, ia tau.
They always stay at Waiwera each year.

Pānui ai au i ia pō, i ia pō.
I always read each and every night.

Mau mōhiti ai ia.
He always wears glasses.

Hokihoki ai ia ki te wā kāinga.
He returned home regularly.

Titiro ai au ki te ua.
I always watch the rain.

Horoi ai au i aku niho i te ao, i te pō.
I habitually brush my teeth day and night.

Mai i tōku tamarikitanga pīrangi ai ahau ki te mahi nēhi.
Since childhood I have always wanted to be a nurse.

I ngā ata, haere ai ngā kaimahi ki te ngahere.
In the mornings, the workers always go to the bush.

Hīkoi ai au ia rā, ia rā.
I always walk each and every day.

Maranga mai ai au ia rā, ia rā i te whitu karaka.
I always get up every day at seven o'clock.

Haere ai ia mā runga pahikara ki te mahi ia ata ia ata.
He always goes to work by bike every morning.

Tū ai ngā whakamātautau i te mutunga o te tau.
The exams always take place at the end of the year.

Inu ai au i te kawhe ia ata, ia ata.
I always drink coffee every morning.

Mahi ai au, ia te rā, ia te rā, hāunga anō ko ngā Rātapu.
I work regularly, every day except on Sundays.

Kai ai te ngeru i ngā kiore.
The cat always eats mice.

Tae mai ai te pahi, i ia hāora, i ia hāora.
The bus regularly arrives every hour.

Ia Rāapa ia Rāapa waea ai tāku tamāhine ki a au.
Every Wednesday my daughter always phones me.

Haere ai au ki Pōneke.
I am always going to Wellington.

Tirotiro ai ia i ngā pānui mō ngā matenga i ia rā, i ia rā.
She checks out the death notices religiously every day.

Ako ai au ia rā, ia rā.
Learn something habitually every day.

Inu ai au i te waipiro ia rā ia rā.
I always drink alcohol every day.

Oma ai a Honi ki te mahi i ngā rā katoa.
Honi always runs to work every day.

I ngā Rāpare, mātakitaki ai au i Coronation Street.
On Thursdays I always watch Coronation Street.

I ia Rāhoroi haere ai a Hēmi ki te hoko tīkiti Rotarota.
Every Saturday Hēmi always goes to buy a Lotto ticket.

Karakia ai au ia ata, ia ata.
I always pray every morning.

Noho ai ngā wāhine ki konei.
The always women sit here.

Hīkoi ai a Tame ki te kura.
Tame always walks to school.

Tuhituhi reta ai ia.
He regularly writes letters.

Ia rā, ia rā, tunu ai au i te hapa.
Every day I always cook dinner.

Waiata ai ngā manu i ngā ata.
The birds usually sing in the mornings.

Tunu kai ai ahai i a pō, i a pō.
I always cook food every night.

Mātakitaki pouaka whakaata ai au, ia pō.
I always watch television every night.

Kai ai ngā manu i ngā kākano o tēnei rākau hua.
The birds usually eat the seeds of this fruit tree

Kai ai au i te pāreti ia ata, ia ata.
I always eat porridge each and every morning.

Inu ai au i te waipiro ia wiki ia wiki.
I always drink alcohol every week.

Haere ai a Koa ki te marae ia rā, ia rā.
Koa always goes to the marae each and every day.

Tunu rēwena ai ia i ia Rātapu.
She always bakes bread every Sunday.

I ngā raumati, kaukau ai au i te moana.
In the summer, I regularly swim in the sea.

Mai i tōku tamarikitanga pīrangi ai au ki te mahi hei nēhi.
Since childhood I have always wanted to work as a nurse.