ka
1. (particle) Used before a verb to name an event as occurring or a state existing. No tense is implied so it may be past, present or future.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 28, 102, 129-130;)
See also ka pai
2. (particle) when - used before verbs to indicate the start of a new action or state, but does not indicate past, present or future.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 28, 102, 129-130;)
Ka mutu te pōhiri, ka kai rātou. / When the welcome ceremony was over, they ate.
3. (particle) Used before verbs when the action is in the future.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 28;)
4. (particle) Used in commands with taua and tātou. These two words may precede ka in such commands.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 111;)
5. (particle) Used in front of numbers when counting out items.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 5;)
Ka tīmata te tatau, "Ka tahi, ka rua, ka toru, ka whā, ka rima, ka ono, ka whitu, ka waru, ka iwa." (NM 1928:359). / She began counting them, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine."
6. (particle) then, only just, now for the first time - when used after kātahi anō. NB ka is pronounced long when the following verb or number has only one long vowel or two short vowels.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 74;)
kā
1. (verb) (-ngia) to burn, glow.
Ka koropupū te moana ānō he puia. Muri tonu iho, kua kite atu au e kāngia ana ētahi wāhi o te tima, kua rongo atu hoki au ki aku tāngata e auē ana, e ngunguru ana i te mamae (TP 1/7/1902:2). / The sea was boiling like a volcano. Just after that I saw some parts of the ship burning and I heard my men crying out and groaning with pain.
2. (stative) be alight, burning, ablaze.
Ka tākiritia atu he māti, kua kā te raiti (HP 1991:17). / A match is struck and the light burns.
ka mea, (ā), ka ...
1. after quite a long time, eventually, when finally - an idiomatic use to indicate a passage of time before something happened.
Ka noho, ka noho, kua ānini te māhunga kua waea atu ki te rata kararehe. Ka mea, ā, ka oti i a māua tā māua mahi (HM 1/1998:4). / After quite a while our heads were spinning and we phoned a vet. Eventually we completed our task.
Ka whakakāhoretia e te wahine nei tēnei whakapae. Ka mea, ā, ka hiahia ki te whakaatu i tōna hara, ka tū ake i waenganui i te iwi, ka waiata i te waiata nei (M 2011:66). / This woman denied the accusation. When she finally wanted to confess to her sin, she stood up amongst the people and sang this song.
ka noho, ka noho ...
1. after quite a long time - an idiomatic use to indicate a passage of time before something happened.
Ka noho, ka noho ka tīkohi i te mahara (HM 4/1990:1). / After quite a while he collected his thoughts.
Ka noho, ka noho, ehara, ka whai pū a Ngāti Te Whatuiāpiti me Ngāti Kahungunu whānui i te tekau tau atu i 1830 (TTR 1994:150). / After quite a while Ngāti Te Whatuiāpiti and Ngāti Kahungunu acquired arms in the 1830s.
ka mea (rā) ka ...
1. it'd be quite good if you, you should consider, you should think about - an idiomatic use to suggest something be done, perhaps for the benefit of the speaker, the listener or for someone else.
Ka mea rā ka peka mai i a kōrua ka tau mai anō ki Hokitika (HKK 1999:192). / It would be quite good if you called in when you come to Hokitika again.
Ka mea rā ka nohopuku (HKK 1999:192). / It'd be quite good if you kept quiet.
2. it serves (you) right - sometimes used idiomatically to indicate the speakers lack of sympathy.
Pare: Kua tangohia te raihana a Tahuti. Rangi: Ka pai. Koinā anō e mātotoru nā te waewae (HKK 1999:72). / Pare: Tahuti has had his licence taken away. Rangi: It serves him right. That's because of his heavy foot.
ka mahi ...
1. well done, great, outstanding - an idiom used to praise, but may also express sarcasm. Not commonly used in modern Māori but appears in a number of whakataukī.
Ka mahi te take pakiranga (HKK 1999:52). / Well done, shallow rooting tree. (A whakataukī used for a person who gives in easily or is easily discouraged.)
Synonyms: taiea, taumata rau, tapatapahi ana, kōhure, whakaharahara, ahurei, kātuarehe, te kino kē hoki
ka ... ana
1. (particle) when, whenever.
(Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 63-64;)
Ka waipuke ana tēnei awa, ka mauria mai he oneone parakiwai o ngā whenua mōmona o runga, ka rukea ki runga i tō mātau whenua hai whakamōmona (HP 1991:14). / When this river flooded it brought down silt of the rich lands upstream and deposited it on our land to enrich it.
ka mutu
1. and also, and furthermore, as well as that, and what's more - an idiom used to add a further idea to that which has already been stated.
(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 124;)
Me āta whakaaro e te kaikōrero he aha tāna e hiahia ana ki te kōrero, ka mutu, kaua e hokia atu ki ngā mihi ki ngā mate me te hunga ora pērā anō me ā ētahi i tū atu ai i mua atu i a ia. / The orator should consider carefully what he wants to say, and furthermore, shouldn't repeat acknowledgements to the dead and the living similar to speakers that have stood before him.
ahi kā
1. (noun) burning fires of occupation, continuous occupation - title to land through occupation by a group, generally over a long period of time. The group is able, through the use of whakapapa, to trace back to primary ancestors who lived on the land. They held influence over the land through their military strength and defended successfully against challenges, thereby keeping their fires burning.
See also ahikāroa, ahikā, ahi-kā-roa
