Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

kei

1. (particle) at, on, in - particle marking present position or time.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 15, 16, 29;)

Kei raro te ngeru i te whare. / The cat is under the house.

Show example

Hide example

See also kai

Synonyms: , runga, , ā, hei, i


2. (particle) has, have, with, in possession of, having.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 82-84;)

Kei a au tōu hākete. / I have your jacket.

Show example

Hide example


3. (particle) beware lest, might, do not - expresses a warning if it follows a command or a negative command and stands on its own. In this usage it suggests that something might happen, but not necessarily that it will. Kei may also be used as a command not to do something, in which case it will begin the sentence and be followed by a verb.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 59;)

Kia tere, kei mākū koe i te ua. / Hurry up or you'll get wet from the rain.
Kei wareware tātou e haere kē mai ana tātou ki te kōrero Māori nō reira whakarērea atu tō reo Pākehā i te kāinga (HM 2/1999:5). / Don't forget that we are all coming to speak Māori so leave your English language at home.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: pea


4. (particle) like, as.

He mano te patupaiarehe kei te tarakihi; ko te āhua he āhua tangata, pēnei me te āhua Pākehā, ko te kiri i mā, i kōrakorako te māhunga me te kiri katoa, i rerekē kīhai i rite ki te tangata Māori (KO 20/11/1886:7). / The patupaiarehe are numerous like cicadas; their appearance is the same as humans, like the Pākehā the skin is white and the hair and all the skin is fair, not like the Māori people.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: pīrangi, rata, rite, tairite, ānō nei, enanga, riterite, matareka, manako, me, ōrite, pai, ānō


5. (particle) madam, sir - a polite form of address used instead of e, but used only with nouns or names that are not English name or names that have been transliterated from other languages.

(Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 190;)

Kei Te Rangihau, nau mai, haere mai! / Te Rangihau sir, welcome!
Kei te rangatira, kei te tino whakaae mātou ki tō whakatau. / Sir, we really agree with your decision.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: whae, pou


6. (particle) .

kei

1. (noun) stern (of a boat or canoe).

Nā, ka mahia te waka, koirā ngā toki i tāraia ai te waka, ā ka oti te tārai te haumi, te kei, te ihu, ngā rauawa; ka oti ngā taumanu, te tauihu, te rapa me te kāraho, te puneke, te ihu, te utuutu-matua, te whakarei o te kei, ngā mea katoa mō te waka taua, ngā kōrewa, ngā tā wai, ngā hoe, ngā whiti, ngā tokotū, ngā huapae, ngā rā, ngā taura, ngā punga e rua, whakawhenua, ngā punga kōrewa, ngā toko waka, ngā hoe whakaara o te ihu, ngā hoe whakatere o te kei (JPS 1922:23). / The canoe was then adzed out, hewn with those adzes. The piece to lengthen the hull was hewn out, the stern, the bow, the topstrakes; finished were the thwarts, the prow piece, the stern attachment, the decking, the fore end, the utuutumatua, the carved work of the stern, and all things pertaining to a war canoe. These included the outriggers, the balers, the paddles, the crosspieces and masts, the fore and aft beams of the outrigger frame, the sails, the cordage, the two anchors, ground and sea, the punt poles, and the steering oars of the prow and stern.

Show example

Hide example

kei waho

1. (tennis) out.

kei te ...

1. (particle) in the act of, is, are - when followed by a verb indicates continuing action in the present or future.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 12-14, 82; Te Kākano Study Guide (Ed. 1): 13; Te Māhuri Study Guide (Ed. 1): 74;)

Kei te mekemeke ngā tāngata. / The men are boxing.

Show example

Hide example


2. (particle) at the, in the - when followed by a noun.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 29, 82;)

Kei te ngahere rāua e whakangau poaka ana. / They're in the bush hunting pigs.

Show example

Hide example

See also kei, te


3. Sometimes used as a stylistic device when narrating a story set in the past to add excitement to the account.

(Te Māhuri Study Guide (Ed. 1): 74;)

Ka ū a Hinemoa ki te waiariki raka, kei te whakamahana i a ia, he wiri nōna i te māeke (Biggs 1997:105). / When Hinemoa reaches that hot pool, she warms herself because she is shivering from the cold.
Ahakoa kei te hōkarikari aku waewae, kei te hāparangi taku waha ki te karanga, kāore he tangata i aro ake ki a au (HP 1991:20). / Although I'm holding my legs stiff and yelling out, nobody's taking any notice of me.

Show example

Hide example

kei ... ana

1. while.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 121;)

E kata rā kei ora ana ngā niho. / Laugh while your teeth are healthy.

Show example

Hide example

kei kore

1. might not, may not.

Kei kore koe e noho mai. / You might not stay.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kore

kei tūpono

1. in case, just in case, lest perhaps.

Ka pai tonu te kohikohi i ngā kupu pēnei i te wā e whakamahia tonuhia ana, ka tāpiri atu ki ngā kupu e noho mai ana i rō papakupu Māori. Kei tūpono ka ngaro haere i roto i ngā tau, ā, mate ā-moa tonu atu (HM 2/1998:4). / It's quite good to collect words like this at the time they are still being used and add them to the words contained in Māori dictionaries, just in case they become lost over the years and die like the moa.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: me/mai/mei kore (noa) (rā) e ..., me kore noa e tūpono

kei riri mai

1. don't be angry, my apologies.

Kei riri mai koe mō taku hē. / My sincere apologies for my mistake.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: (mō) taku hē, (mō) taku hē

Kei te pēhea koe?

1. How are you? - only used when speaking to one person. For two people use kōrua instead of koe, and for three or more people use koutou instead of koe.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 1-2;)

kei kō tata atu

1. a little further on, just beyond.

Kei takahia a Tahu

1. When the meal is ready do not delay.

Do not insult Tahu. /

Show example

Hide example

Mahia te mahi kei tamariki ana

1. Make the most of your youth.

Do it while you're young. /

Show example

Hide example

1. (location) the place over there, there, over there - a location word, or locative, which follows immediately after particles such as ki, i, hei and kei.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 121; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 24;)

E haere ana au ki takoto ai. / I'm going over there to lie down.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: korā,


2. (location) further, further away - when used with atu.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 45;)

Haere ki ! Ki kō atu! Ki kō rawa atu! / Go over there! Further yet! Much, much further!

Show example

Hide example


3. (location) distant point in time, sometime in the future, sometime soon.

Ā kō ake nei hoki ai a Poia ki Murupara. / Sometime in the future Poia will return to Murupara.

Show example

Hide example


4. (location) the far side, the other side - when used with atu.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 45;)

Ka haere tāua ki kō atu o te taraka rā. / Let's go to the other side of that truck.

Show example

Hide example


5. (location) the near side, this side - when used with mai.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 45;)

Arā a Te Wharetoroa, kei kō mai o te pou haki. / There is Te Wharetoroa, on this side of the flagpole.

Show example

Hide example

koi

1. (particle) beware lest, do not - variation of kei.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 59;)

Kia tere, koi kitea tāua e tō pāpā. / Hurry up or your father will see us.

Show example

Hide example


2. (particle) while, when - variation of kei.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 121;)

I te wā i mua rā, koi hine ana au. / Long ago when I was a young girl.

Show example

Hide example

koe

1. (pronoun) you (one person) - like all pronouns and personals, takes a when following ki, i, kei and hei but does not take a when used as the subject of the sentence. Never occurs after he, te and ngā and is not used after the prepositions a, o, mā, mō, nā, nō or with and .

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 13;)

Ko koe tēnā? / Is that you?

Show example

Hide example

konā

1. (location) that place, there (near or connected with the person spoken to) - a location word, or locative, which follows immediately after particles such as ki, i, hei and kei or is preceded by a when used as the subject of the sentence.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 121; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 24;)

Tēnā koe, e kare. Kei konā a Tuihana? / Hello, my friend. Is Tuihana there?

Show example

Hide example

See also konaka,

konei

1. (location) this place, here (near or connected with the speaker) - a location word, or locative, which follows immediately after particles such as ki, i, hei and kei or is preceded by a when used as the subject of the sentence.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 121; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 24;)

Haere mai ki konei! / Come here, please!

Show example

Hide example

See also koneki


2. (location) this time.

I konei, kua oma ki waho ki te tiki pana kahikātoa hei kanohi, he karamu hei ihu, he kōnēnē hei pito mō tana tekoteko (TWK 23:3). / At this point, she ran outside to get tea tree berries for the eyes, karamu berries for the nose and a māwhai berry as the tummy button for the human figure.

Show example

Hide example

korā

1. (location) over there, that place (at a distance), the place over there, there - a location word, or locative, which follows immediately after particles such as ki, i, hei and kei or is preceded by a when used as the subject of the sentence.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 121; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 24;)

Kei korā, kei muri i te rimu a Māia e huna ana. / Māia is hiding over there behind the rimu tree.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: ,


2. (stative) further, further away - when used with atu.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 45;)

Haere ki kō atu! Ki korā rā anō! Ki korā rawa atu! / Go over there! Much further! Much, much further!

Show example

Hide example

kore

1. (negative) nil, none, nothing, not, no longer, zero, zilch, nought - used in negatives after verbal particles, e.g. e, ka, kei, kua, me, i or ki te.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 67, 89-90;)

Ki te kore a Pio e tae mai, ka raru tātou. / If Pio doesn't arrive we're in trouble.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: pākorehā, , korekore, kāore kau, aha, kore noa iho, kaua, kārekau, kāhore, hore, horekau, kāore, kāre, hore kau, karekau


2. (negative) Used following a reason or asking why something has not taken place or will not take place.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 23;)

He aha koutou i kore ai e whakarongo? / Why didn't you all listen?

Show example

Hide example

See also nā te aha ... i kore ai e ... ?


3. (negative) without, -less, lacking - used before or after nouns to indicate the absence or lack of that thing. Sometimes written as a separate word, sometimes joined or hyphenated.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 55, 89-90;)

He wāhi kore wai tērā moutere. / That island is a place lacking water.

Show example

Hide example

See also kāinga kore, parakore

Synonyms: mate, wharepā


4. (negative) no longer - used after kua as a verb to express the loss, absence, destruction or departure of something. It is usually used to mean that something is no longer the case.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 89-90; Te Pihinga Study Guide (Ed. 1): 55;)

Kua kore au e haere ki Rānana. / I'm no longer going to London.

Show example

Hide example

See also kua kore

Synonyms: kua kore


5. (negative) Used with kia to say 'so that something would not happen'.

(Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 31-32;)

I kumea te poti ki uta rawa, kia kore ai e riro i te tai. / The boat was pulled right ashore so that it wouldn't be carried off by the tide.

Show example

Hide example

See also kia kore ai ... e ...


6. (negative) might not, may not, mightn't - when used after kei it indicates that an action might not happen.

Kei kore e ea ā tāua nama. / Our debts mightn't be paid.

Show example

Hide example

See also kei kore

Synonyms: kei kore


7. (noun) oblivion, annihilation, destruction, nothingness.

Ā, ngaro noa iho ki te kore a Hou rātou ko tōna iwi (NM 1928:57). / And Hou and his people were annihilated.

Show example

Hide example

kōrua

1. (pronoun) you two - like all pronouns and personals, takes a when following ki, i, kei and hei but does not take a when used as the subject of the sentence. Never occurs after he, te and ngā.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 13, 31-32, 52-56, 64-65;)

Waimarie rawa atu kōrua. / You two are lucky.

Show example

Hide example

See also kourua, tā kōrua


2. (pronoun) you and - used before ko and a person's name.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 13;)

Kei te haere kōrua ko Poia ki hea? / Where are you and Poia going?

Show example

Hide example

Te Kākano 3rd Edition

New edition of the leading Māori-language textbook out now.

More info

The App

Te Aka Māori Dictionary is also available as an iOS and Android app. Download below.

iOS Android

The Book

Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary and Index by John C Moorfield comprises a selection of modern and everyday language that will be extremely useful for learners of the Māori language.

More info

He Pātaka Kupu

Te kai a te rangatira

He Pātaka Kupu is a monolingual Māori language dictionary, and was designed using its own culturally authentic terms.

Visit website

00:00