nei
1. (particle) here - used after nouns, location words, pronouns and personal names to indicate position or connection with the speaker or the principal character in a narrative. Like the other two locative particles, nā and rā, it follows manner particles (i.e. kau, kē, noa, rawa and tonu) and directional particles (i.e. mai, atu, iho and ake) in the phrase if they are present.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 44;)
See also neki
2. (particle) Also used to imply nearness to the present time, or a time or event just referred to.
Ka whakawhiti rāua ki Te Ika-a-Māui i te rā nei. / They cross to the North Island today.
I karangahia tēnei ko Te Heke Hauhaua, ā, ko Te Kāeaea tonu tētahi o ngā rangatira. Koia nei pea te wā i hoki ai a ia ki Te Wairarapa (TTR 1990:202). / This was called Te Heke Hauhaua and Te Kaeaea was one of the leaders. This was probably the time that he returned to Wairarapa.
3. (particle) who, that, which - when used in dependent clauses to refer to something or someone just mentioned.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 120;)
Ko Hōri te tangata e tū atu nei. / The man who is standing here is George.
4. (particle) Used following au, māua, mātou when giving opinions, etc.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 85-86;)
Ki a au nei, kāore a Nāhinara e rata ana ki te iwi Māori. / In my opinion, the National Party isn't kindly disposed towards the Māori people.
5. (particle) Used following possessive determiners to imply that the thing possessed is nearby, or for emphasis.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 85-86;)
Ki ōku nei whakaaro, kāore he take o tēnei Kāwanatanga. / In my opinion this Government is useless.
7. (particle) Used before koa and rā to introduce explanatory sentences.
Ka haere mātou ko aua tupua ki roto ki te awa o Whitianga, nei koa, he tokotoko i te ringaringa o ētahi o rātou mau haere ai (TAH 52:45). / Then we and those foreigners went up the Whitianga River. Now some of them carried rods in their hands
8. (particle) here - often starts a sentence.
Nei ka noho, ka noho, ka mahuki ake a whakaaro tērā pea ka whai hua tonu te wero atu ki te pātai, "He aha ia tēnei mea, te mātauranga Māori?" (HM 1/1998:2) / Here I sit and sit, and thoughts spring to mind that perhaps there is value in challenging with the question, "Just what is this thing Māori knowledge?"
9. (particle) on and on - used to indicate a long duration when the phrase with nei is repeated.
Ka mea atu tērā, "Waiho rā kia toru hoki ngā pō e rere ai, ā, ka kore e kitea te whenua, ka hoki ai tātou." Ka whakaae mai ngā hoa. I rere nei, rere nei. Kua tata ki te whenua (MM.TKM 1/11/1855:9). / That one said, "Let us wait and sail for three more nights and if we not don't find land we will return." The companions agreed. So they sailed on and on. Then they were near land.
Synonyms: haere ake nei, mau ake nei, āke, ake, ake
inātata nei
1. (particle) just recently.
Nā tētahi nūpepa te kōrero inātata nei kei te ara mai anō te reo Māori (TAH 2:2). / Just recently a newspaper reported that the Māori language is reviving.
Synonyms: inā tata nei, inā noa ake nei, ināia tata ake nei, ina noa nei, nō nakua tonu nei, nō nā noa nei, nō nā tata nei, nō nāia tata ake nei
i nei
1. (interjection) really! is that a fact! no way! - an exclamation of amazement or surprise. Sometimes also used to indicate disbelief.
(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 106; Te Pihinga Audio Tapes/CDs (Ed. 2): exercise 40;)
Kua panaia a Te Rauhina i te whare wānanga. I nei! / Te Rauhina has been expelled from the university. Really!
See also i nei
Synonyms: engari mō tēnā, i nei, āta koia, e kī (e kī)
ake nei
1. (particle) Often used in future time exoressions, e.g. ā kō kō ake nei, ā muri ake nei, taihoa ake nei.
Taihoa ake nei, ka kōrerohia e au ki a koutou taku titonga mō tētahi o aku tino hoa hōia, i tōmuri te hokinga mai ki tō mātau puni hōia i a mātau i Īhipa (HP 1991:107). / Later I will tell you about my fabrication for one of my best military friends who returned late to our military camp when we were in Egypt.
2. this - used with a noun in time expressions referring to the present.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 30, 46;)
nei koa
1. the fact was - used to introduce explanatory sentences.
Nei koa kua whakamōhio atu te kōtiro i tana matua. / The fact was the girl had told her father.
See also nei
ia nei
1. (particle) then, indeed, therefore - a particle to add emphasis, including to questions and commands. Sometimes written as one word, i.e. ianei.
He aha ia nei te kōtiro rā tē rite ai anō ki a au? / Why, then, should this girl not do it just as I did?
Ko ngā Etiopiana, ko ngā Rupimi, he teka ia nei he ope tino nui rātou, he maha noa atu hoki ā rātou hāriata, ā rātou kaieke hōiho? (PT 2 Ngā Whakapapa 16:8) / Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen?
He whawhaitanga, ko taua kupu anō. Kāore anō ia nei i mahue noa i te ngutu o te wahine, o te tangata (JPS 1990:153). / Battles have been fought because of that saying. To this day it has not completely left the lips of men and women.
nei rā
1. the fact was - used to introduce explanatory sentences.
Nei rā kua rīria kētia ia e te kaiako. / The fact was that she had already been reprimanded by the teacher.
See also nei
i nei
1. (interjection) really! is that a fact! no way! - an exclamation of amazement or surprise. Sometimes also used to indicate disbelief.
(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 106; Te Pihinga Audio Tapes/CDs (Ed. 2): exercise 40;)
Kua panaia a Te Rauhina i te whare wānanga. I nei! / Te Rauhine has been expelled from the university. Really!
Synonyms: engari mō tēnā, i nei, āta koia, e kī (e kī)
inā tata nei
1. (location) just before, just recently.
Inā tata nei, ka hoki mai au i te hararei ki taku kāinga, ki te mahi a te reta kia pānuitia. / Just recently I returned home from vacation to a lot of letters to be read.
See also inā noa ake nei, inātata nei
Synonyms: nō nāia tata ake nei, ina noa nei, nō nakua tonu nei, inātata nei, nō nā noa nei, nō nā tata nei, inā noa ake nei, ināia tata ake nei, i nakua tonu nei, inakuarā, i mua tata atu, nōnākuara, ina tonu
ināia tonu nei
1. (particle) right now, instantly, this instant.
Tukua mai ō koutou ingoa, me te āhua o ō koutou kākahu ināia tonu nei (TJ 17/11/1898:8). / Send your names with the size of your clothes right now.
Synonyms: nōnāiakenei, ināianei tonu, nō nāia ake nei, i āia tonu nei
ināia tata ake nei
1. just recently, very recently.
Nā tētahi taha o Ngāti Awa ēnei pihi, arā, nō te hunga i mau patu ki a te Kuīni, ināia tata ake nei (TMT 1/6/1861:14). / These pieces of land belonged to a section of Ngāti Awa, that is to the people who carried weapons against the Queen very recently.
Synonyms: inā tata nei, inā noa ake nei, ina noa nei, nō nakua tonu nei, inātata nei, nō nā noa nei, nō nā tata nei, nō nāia tata ake nei
te āhua nei
1. it looks as though, by the look of things, it would seem, it would appear that, looks like it - an idiom.
Te āhua nei, he pakanga kei te haere. / It looks as though there's a battle about to happen.
Ahakoa anō te kōrero a Eruera kāore ia i mōhio he aha te mea i mau i a ia i te kura o Te Teko, te āhua nei i tōtika tonu ia, nō te mea, nō te tau 1910, ka whai karahipi ia mō te haere ki te kura tuarua o Tīpene i Ākarana (EM 2002:28). / Despite Eruera saying that he did not know what he learnt at Te Teko School, it would seem that he did all right because in 1910 he gained a scholarship to go to secondary school at St Stephens in Auckland.
See also āhua
Synonyms: āhua
tōna [pai] nei
1. so so, not too bad, quite good, OK I guess, somewhat, sort of - an idiom used to give qualified praise. Also used to indicate qualified agreement with someone else's statement.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 140-141;)
I pēhea tāu hararei? Tōna pai nei. / How was your holiday? It was OK.
Tau: Kei te wera tō kawhe? Ira: Mmm tōna wera nei (HJ 2012:41). / Tau: Is your coffee hot? Ira: Mmm it's OK I guess.
