On-line Te Reo Māori Dictionary

He aha a Pāora i kore ai e tū ki te whakatau i ngā manuhiri?
Why didn't Pāora get up to greet the guests?
Why did? - He aha... i... ai?

He aha ia i kata ai?
Why did she laugh?
Why did? - He aha... i... ai?

Kei te katakata a Raureka.
Raureka is laughing.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

E kata ana a Niko.
Niko is laughing.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E kata hoki ana a Hera.
Hera is also laughing.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E whakatā ana tāua i te ngahere.
We (you and I) are resting in the forest.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E tono ana ia kia haere ia ki te whakatā.
He is requesting to go for a break.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

I whakatā māua i te whare.
We (me and one other) rested at the house.
Simple sentences: past tense - i

I haere te kura ki te tāone ki te whakataetae mō te kapa haka.
The school went to town to compete for the kapa haka.
Simple sentences: past tense - i

I Kohitātea ka whakatā tonu mātou.
We always take our holidays in January.
Simple sentences: past tense - i

Ka tino whakatā ia.
He or she will be very relaxed.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka tino whakatā a Rangi.
Rangi will be very relaxed.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka āhua whakatā ahau.
I will be somewhat relaxed.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka whakatā ahau.
I will be relaxed.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka tino whakatā a Hēmi.
Hēmi will be very relaxed.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka āhua whakatā a Mere.
Mere will be somewhat relaxed.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Ka whakatā koe.
You will be relaxed.
Simple sentences: future tense - ka

Me whakatā ia
He should rest
Simple sentences: you should - me

Me whakatā koe!
You should rest!
Simple sentences: you should - me

Me whakatā koe.
You need to rest.
Simple sentences: you should - me

Me mātua paku kōrero te take, kātahi ka whakatau.
We should first discuss the issue a bit, then decide.
Simple sentences: you should - me

Me ako whakataukī kia mōhio ai koe ki ngā whakaaro o ōu tīpuna.
Learn proverbs so you know the thoughts of your ancestors.
Simple sentences: you should - me

Kātahi ka tuku i a au kia tū ana, i a rātou e whakatā ana.
Then they left me standing while they had a rest.
Sentences with a subclause - e... ana

Tokorima ngā tauira e katakata ana ki a ia.
There are five students laughing at him.
Sentences with a subclause - e... ana

Pēnei au i te whakatā koe.
I thought you were resting.
I thought mistakenly - Pēnei au...

Taihoa tātou e whakatau me aha.
Let us not decide what to do just yet.
Don't... just yet! - Taihoa... e

Taihoa koe e haere ki te wharepaku kātahi anō a Pāpā ka puta i reira.
Don't you go to the toilet, Pāpā has just come out.
Don't... just yet! - Taihoa... e

Mā Henare e whakatau ngā manuhiri.
Henare will welcome the visitors.
Future agent emphatic - māku

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!
Commands using the passive - Tāpirihia, Tīkina...

E kata!
Laugh!
Command with e! - e!

Kātahi ka tahuna e Manu te ahi. Kāore i roa, ka mahana te whare.
Then Manu lit the fire. It wasn't long before the house was warm.
It won't be long before... - kāore e roa...; kāori i roa...

Kaua e kata ki a māua.
Don't laugh at us.
Negative active commands - Don't! - Kaua e..., kāti...

Kaua ngā tamariki e whakatā.
The kids shouldn't rest.
Negations of 'me' - We shouldn't... - Kaua... (passive) e...

Kei te whakatangi rakuraku ia me te waiata anō i te whare.
He is playing the guitar and singing in the house.
While at the same time/and in addition - me te... anō

Ka whakatauria te kēmu e te kaiwawao.
The game will be decided by the referee.
Passive sentences - tikina...

I tīkina te māripi e ia, kātahi ka tapahi ia i te pāua.
He fetched the knife, then he chopped the pāua.
Passive sentences - tikina...

E ai ki te whakataukī nei...
According to this proverb...
According to... - E ai ki.../E ai ki tā... /Ki tā

Kaua e waiho kia pau rawa te haurehu, kātahi ka amuamu ai.
Don't leave it until the gas is all used up, then complain.
And then... - ...ka/kātahi... ai...

Kia oti katoa ngā mahi, kātahi tātou ka haere ai ki te pārekareka.
When all the jobs are done, then we will go and have some fun.
And then... - ...ka/kātahi... ai...

Me whakapaipai te kāuta, kātahi ka wehe ai tāua.
We better clean up the kitchen, then we will go.
And then... - ...ka/kātahi... ai...

Homai ēnā i te tuatahi, kātahi ka hoatu ai ēnei ki a koe.
Give me those first, then I'll give you these.
And then... - ...ka/kātahi... ai...

Horoia ngā rīhi, kātahi ka waiho ai māna e whakamaroke.
Wash the dishes then leave them for her to dry.
And then... - ...ka/kātahi... ai...

Kia tae katoa mai ngā tāngata, kātahi ka tīmata ai.
When everyone arrives, then we'll begin.
And then... - ...ka/kātahi... ai...

E mōhio ana ahau, e taea e ia te whakamārama i te whakatauki nei.
I know that she will be able to explain this saying.
I am able... - Ka taea e...

Ka taea e koe te rakuraku te whakatangi?
Can you play guitar?
I am able... - Ka taea e...

Ka taea e Tama te rakuraku te whakatangi.
Tama can play the guitar.
I am able... - Ka taea e...

Ka taea e Hina te whakatangi te piana.
Hina can play the piano.
I am able... - Ka taea e...

Ka taea e koe te whakatangitangi piana?
Can you play piano?
I am able... - Ka taea e...

Kia wātea, kia māmā, te ngākau, te tinana, te wairua i te ara takatā.
To clear, to free the heart, the body and the spirit of humanity.
So that something can happen for someone else - kia

Ka haere au ki Ōhope whakatā ai.
I go to Ōhope in order to relax.
The reason for an action - ...ai.

Kia tūruki whakataha ai.
In order to return to everyday activities.
The reason for an action - ...ai.

Ka tata tatū te take, kātahi ka puta ake he māharahara anō. I pēnei tonu te āhua ā pō noa.
The matter would just about be resolved, then someone would raise another concern. It carried on like this into the night.
It carried on like this... - Pēnei tonu...

Kei te whakatā koe.
You are relaxed.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

Kei te tino whakatā a Mere.
Mere is very relaxed.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

Kei te whakatā ia.
He or she is relaxed.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

Kei te āhua whakatā koe.
You are somewhat relaxed.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

Kei te āhua whakatā ia.
He or she is somewhat relaxed.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

Kei te tino whakatā ahau.
I am very relaxed.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

Kei te tino whakatā koe.
You are very relaxed.
Simple sentences - present tense with an adjective - kei te

I te taha katau o te waka te kurī.
The dog was to the right of the car.
Locatives - past (something was somewhere) - i te

I te ata o te Rāhoroi ka haere mātou ko taku whānau ki Taranaki ki te whakatā.
On Saturday morning my family and I went to Taranaki for a holiday.
Past - specifying a particular time - i te

Kāore ngā kōtiro i whakaaro he hangarau, engari i kata he tama.
None of the girls thought it was funny, but a boy laughed.
Negations of the past tense - Kāore... i...

Kāore māua i whakatā i te whare.
We did not rest at the house.
Negations of the past tense - Kāore... i...

Ka umere me te kata.
They shouted and laughed.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka rite i te tokomaha te whakataāe te rā hei hokinga mō rātou.
The many young people reached agreement on the day for their return.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Ka tū ngā tamāhine i te mataihi katau o te marae.
The daughters stood at the front right of the marae.
Ka used to indicate the past - ka

Kāore tāua e whakatā ana i te ngahere.
We are not resting in the forest.
Negations of e... ana... sentences - kāore... e... ana...

Kāore te kēmu e whakatauria e te kaiwawao.
The game will not be decided by the referee.
Negating passive sentences - Kāore... e...

I Rotorua te whakataetae i tērā tau.
The competition was held in Rotorua last year.
Last week, last month, last year - tērā

Kei te katakata a Pita rāua ko Ari.
Pita and Ari are laughing.
Talking about more than one person - ...rāua ko..., rātou ko...

Kia tīkina atu he whakataukī e hāngai ana kī tēnei kaupapa...
Let me grab a proverb...
Away - atu

Kātahi anō au ka tae mai ki runga i tēnei marae.
This is my first time on this marae.
Ordindinal numbers (First, second, third...) - tuatahi, tuarua...

Tae rawa atu, kātahi tonu ia ka haere.
When we arrived, he had just left.
Direction markers with adverbs - tonu mai, kā atu, rawa mai...

Hei tātahi ngā tāngata e whakatā ana.
The people will be relaxing at the beach.
Future locative - hei

Kāore te kurī i te taha katau o te waka.
The dog wasn’t to the right of the car.
Negation of locatives - kāore...

Kāore ngā tāngata hei tātahi e whakatā ana.
The people will not be relaxing at the beach.
Negating locatives - kāore... i runga...

Kātahi te motokā ātaahua!
What a beautiful car!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te whare nunui!
What a big house!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te tāone makariri!
What a cold town!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te motu wera!
What a hot island!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te motokā ātaahua ko tēnei Ferrari!
What a beautiful car this Ferrari is!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te tāone makariri ko Timaru!
What a cold town Timaru is!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te motu wera ko Raratonga!
What a hot island Rarotonga is!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te tamaiti kōioio, ko Hēmi!
What a mischievous child Hēmi is!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te tangata mātauranga, ko Honi!
What a knowledgeable person Honi is!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te rangi pai!
What a great day!
What a... - kātahi te...

Kātahi te reo reka ki te waiata!
What an awesome singing voice!
What a... - kātahi te...

I a Mere e whakatā ana, ka mātaki tana hoa i te poiwhana.
While Mere was resting, her friend was watching the football.
While... - i... e... ana, ka...

Kātahi ka a Mia ka oho.
Mia has just/finally/for the first time woken up.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō taku hoa ka haere atu ki Hawaii.
My friend has gone to Hawaii for the first time.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō ahau ka hoki mai i te toa.
I finally comeback from the shop.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō tō hoa ka waea mai.
Your friend just called. (or: your friend finally called; or: your friend called for the first time)
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō ia ka kite he rākau kē.
It was then that he saw it was just a stick.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō ka mutu te hui.
The meeting has just finished.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

He tamāhine hou tāna kātahi anō ka whānau mai.
She has a new daughter than has just been born.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō au ka hoki mai.
I have just come back.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō a Rangi ka wehe atu.
Rangi has just left.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō ngā manuhiri ka tae mai.
The guests have just arrived.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō au ka oho.
I have just woken up.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō rātou ka tīmata ki te kai.
They have just started to eat.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō te whānau nei ka maranga.
The family has just woken up.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

Kātahi anō a Amaru ka tae mai.
Amaru has just arrived.
Has just... - kātahi anō...

I haere mātou ki te toa, kātahi ka hoki mātou ki te kāinga.
We went to the shop and then we returned home.
And then... - kātahi ka...

I haere mātou ki te toa, kātahi ka mātou hoki ki te kāinga.
We went to the shop and then we returned home.
And then... - kātahi ka...

I haere mātou ki te toa, kātahi ka hoki ki te kāinga.
We went to the shop and then we returned home.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Ka kai, ka tiko, kātahi ka rere.
He ate, shat and left.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Ka oma tātou ki korā, kātahi ka whakatā.
Went ran over there and then rested.
And then... - kātahi ka...

I mātua hui te iwi ki te marae, kātahi ka haere ki te urupā.
First the tribe met at the marae, and then set off to the cemetry.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Kātahi ka mahara te koroheke rā ki te nuinga o tōna pai.
Then then old man began to thing about his abundant good fortune.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Kātahi ka...
And then...
And then... - kātahi ka...

Kātahi ka haere ki te kite i tētehi pikitia.
And then we went and saw a movie.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Kātahi ka tirotiro atu mātou i ngā toa mō te ahiahi.
We then had a look around the shops for the afternoon.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Kātahi ka whakaohoia e te tangata nei tōna mōkai ki roto ki tētahi puna.
Then this man placed his pet in a spring of water.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Kātahi ka whiua e ia tāna mōkai ki te moana.
Then she threw her baby into the sea.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Kātahi ka whakakāngia a Tawa te raiti.
Then Tawa switched on the light.
And then... - kātahi ka...

Ka mutu tāt tāau mahi, ka whakatā tātou.
When our work is finished, we will relax.
When... - ka... ka; kia... ka

Nā te aha ia i kata ai?
For what reason did she laugh?
For what reason? - nā te aha ai?

I whakatā ia.
He or she was relaxed.
-

I āhua whakatā a Hēmi.
Hēmi was somewhat relaxed.
-

I tino whakatā ia.
He or she was very relaxed.

Kātahi tō rātou rangatira, a Rua, ka mea....
Then their chief, Rua, said...

Kātahi ka haere ngā tāngata o Waikato ki ia iwi, ki ia iwi o tātou, o te Māori.
Then the Waikato people went to each tribe of us Māori people.

I tino whakatā a Rangi.
Rangi was very relaxed.

Kei te tino whakatā a Rangi.
Rangi is very relaxed.

Ka whakatā ia.
He or she will be relaxed.

Kāore e taea e Kauri te rakuraku te whakatangi.
Kauri can't play the guitar.

E whakatangitangi ana te kaiwhakatangitangi i te kitā.
The musician is playing the guitar.

Ko ētahi o rātou, ko ngā rōpā me ngā wāhine i kata.
Some of them, the slaves and the women, laughed.

Ko ngā tāngata katoa i kata mne te tangatira atu.
All the people, including the chief, laughed.

He nui ngā hukātara kei runga i te parani.
There's lots of hail on the verandah.

I āhua whakatā ahau.
I was somewhat relaxed.

I tino whakatā a Mere.
Mere was very relaxed.

Ka tino whakatā a Mere.
Mere will be very relaxed.

Ngā tāngata katoa i kata me te rangatira atu.
All the people, including the chief, laughed.

Kei te tino whakatā a Hēmi.
Hēmi is very relaxed.

I whakatā ahau.
I was relaxed.

Ko te whakataukī e kī ana...
As the saying goes...

Kei te āhua whakatā a Rangi.
Rangi is somewhat relaxed.

I te reo Māori, e ono ngā pū-tohu-wa matua, e whitu me ka whakaarohia te "kātahi āno... ka", engari he mono tūkē te "kātahi anō".
In the Māori language, there are six main time markers, seven if we include "kātahi anō... ka", but "kātahi anō" is considered a standalone.

He whakataukī tēnei nā ngā tūpuna Māori...
As the Māori ancestors said...

I āhua whakatā koe.
You were somewhat relaxed.

Ka āhua whakatā koe.
You will be somewhat relaxed.

Āpōpō, ka ea i te iwi tā rātou whakataunga.
Tomorrow, the tribe will settle their decision

I tino whakatā a Hēmi.
Hēmi was very relaxed.

Kei te āhua whakatā a Mere.
Mere is somewhat relaxed.

Kātahi rātou ka tahu i te whare.
Then they set the house alight.

Kātahi-tonu-nei rātou ka tae mai.
They have just arrived.

Kātahi nā te tamaiti mōhio, ko koe.
What a clever child you are.

He takatāpui ia.
She is gay.

I whakatā au. Me koe? I haere koe ki hea?
I relaxed. And you? Where did you go?

I whakatā koe.
You were relaxed.

Kei te āhua whakatā a Hēmi.
Hēmi is somewhat relaxed.

Me whakatangatanga ngā nati ināianei.
Now, loosen the nuts (on a car wheel).

I āhua whakatā ia.
He or she was somewhat relaxed.

Ka āhua whakatā ia.
He or she will be somewhat relaxed.

Ko koe hei muri, hei whakataki i a au.
You will be behind, to safeguard me.

Ka taea e Pāora te whakatangi rakuruku.
Pāora is able to play guitar.

I whakatā au.
I relaxed.

Ka taeae te rakuraku te whakatangi e Tama.
Tama can play the guitar.

E tae ai tēnei take te whakatau, me mātua mōhio ngā āhuatanga katoa.
In order for this issue to be decided, one must first know everything that relates to it.

Kāore e taea e au te rakuraku te whakatangi, heoi, ka taea e au i te piana te whakatangi.
I can't play the guitar, however, I can play the piano.

I āhua whakatā a Rangi.
Rangi was somewhat relaxed.

Ka āhua whakatā a Rangi.
Rangi will be somewhat relaxed.

He whakataukī tēnei.
This is a proverb.

Kei te āhua whakatā ahau.
I am somewhat relaxed.

Kei te tākaro koe i ēnei rā whakatā?
Are you playing sports this weekend?

No Te Tai Tonga ahau.
I'm from Southland.

E whakatangitangi ana te kaiwhakatangitangi i te kitā.
The musician is playing the guitar.

Kātahi tēnei ka karakia. Ehara, kua rere mai ngā ika ki roto i te waka.
Then this man prayed. Lo and behold, fish flew into the canoe.

Ka wani kē! He mīharo! Kātahi rā te ingoa pai ko tērā.
Wicked! Amazing! That is a good name.

Kāore āku mahi nui, i whakatā, i whakapai whare, i āwhina i tōku whaea i tōna māra.
I didn't do much, I relaxed, cleaned the house, helped my mother in the garden.

Kātahi rā ka pēhia ki tētahi taha, ki tētahi taha.
Then [she] turned [her head] from side to side.

kātahi
then

I tino whakatā ahau.
I was very relaxed.

Ka tino whakatā ahau.
I will be very relaxed.

I āhua whakatā a Mere.
Mere was somewhat relaxed.

I te whakatakariri o Nikau, ka tangi ia.
Because Nikau was so angry, he cried.

Kātahi aua tini tamariki rā, te tāne, te wahine, ka kohi i te hua o te miro, hei hinu whakakakara.
Then those many young people, men and women, would gather miro berries for scented oil.

I tino whakatā koe.
You were very relaxed.

Ka tino whakatā koe.
You will be very relaxed.

Ko au te tangata tuawhitu i te whakataetae.
I came seventh in the competition. (I was the seventh person in the competition.)

Ka āhua whakatā a Hēmi.
Hēmi will be somewhat relaxed.

Kātahi anō au ka whakaoti i taku whakamātautau.
I have just finished my assignment.

Au?! Kātahi te kākahu paru!
Auē! How dirty the clothes are!

Kei te tino whakatā ia.
He or she is very relaxed.

E tūmanako ana a Brosnan, ka mātāmua ake te reo i ngā whakatakotoranga mahere anamata o ngā rāngai maha, mai i te ao pāpāho ki te hauora.
Brosnan hoped the language could take precedence in future planning within different sectors from broadcasting to health.

Kei te whakatā ahau.
I am relaxed.

Ka whakatā ahau mō te kōtahi wiki.
I'll take a holiday for a week.

Whakataka te hau ki te uru.
Cease the winds from the west.

Whakataka te hau ki te tonga.
Cease the winds from the south.