koia, koia
1. well, well! you don't say! really! indeed! well done! that explains it - an idiom that sometimes is used to praise someone's work, idea or achievement, but it can also sometimes be a little scathing or scornful.
(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 43;)
Koia, koia! He aha te hē o konei mō tō tāua tēneti? / You don't say! What's wrong with here for our tent?
Koia, koia. Māu rawa te kī mai ki a au me ako au ki te tunu kai. Ko tō oati mai ki a au i a tāua i mārena ai, māu rawa tērā mahi (HKK 1999:85). / Well, well. You can actually say to me that I must learn to cook. Your promise to me when we were married was that you would do that job.
Hai aha atu māna ngā mahi a ērā rā, ko tāna kē he aro ki āna mahi kia tika i a ia. Koia, koia! / He shouldn't bother about what anyone else is doing, all he needs to do is concentrate on getting his work right. Isn't that right!
Synonyms: kē, tinana, koa, katoa, rawa, i neki, inā, tonu, ata, rā anō, rā pea, rānō, mārie, mārika, mārire, ia rā, tino
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
tēnā, tēnā
1. well then! right then! OK, that's that done - an idiom used to suggest that the speaker thinks a task has been completed.
Ko wai kei te whakaae ki te mōtini nei? (Kua 'āe' mai te katoa.) Ko wai kei te whakahē? (Kua kore e hamumu te waha o te tangata kotahi.) Ā kāti, ko tēnā, tēnā! (HKK 1999:107). / Who agrees with this motion? (All agree. Who opposes? (Not one voice speaks.) Well then, that's that done!
Synonyms: āe
mā te aha (anō) i [tēnā]
1. better than nothing, the main thing was that, at least that's something, rather that than - an idiom used to suggest that it was better that something was done even if it wasn't done well.
Te koretake hoki o tana whaikōrero! Heoi anō, mā te aha i te whakatau. / How a hopeless his speech was! Never mind, the main thing was that there was a welcome speech.
Tau: Kei te mōhio anō tā rātou kiripaepae hou ki tāna mahi? Ira: Kāore kau pea. Engari he tangata purotu! Tau: Mmm... mā te aha anō pea i tērā! Ira: Āe rā. Māte aha i te pai kanohi! (HJ 2012:29). / Tau: Does their new receptionist actually know his job? Ira: Probably not. But he's a handsome man! Tau: Mmm... Perhaps that's something! Ira: Yes indeed. Having a nice face is better than nothing!
heoi anō
1. (interjection) so much for that, there is no more, there is none other, and so, well! so so, but, however, that's all, all that had to be done was, it was OK, pretty good, all one has to do is - an idiom used with a variety of meanings. Often used in the pattern heoi anō tā ... he ....
(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 128; Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 235;)
Heoi anō ko tā mātau he noho, ka kai. / All we had to do was sit down and eat.
See also heoi
