wai
2. (personal noun) what? (for people's names).
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 2-3;)
3. (personal noun) who? - when asking for a person's second name.
4. (personal noun) and others - used when the speaker cannot, or does not want to, give all names.
Ko Tiāre, ko Hōri, ko wai ake i roto i te tīma tuatahi. / There was Charlie, George and others in the first team.
pēwhea
1. (verb) (-tia) how? how about? what about? of what sort? of what nature? treat in what way? act in what way? what was it like? - variation of pēhea and an interrogative which can be used as an adjective or an ordinary verb and may be used passively. In colloquial speach a particle preceding pēwhea at the start of a sentence may be omitted, but in formal writing it should be included.
kia ahatia
1. what can be done, so what, what business is it of yours, what's it got to do with you, what does it matter, never mind - an idiom used to indicate a lack of interest by the speaker for the comments of another person because they are of little importance.
(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 115;)
I kī taurangi koe ka whakaaetia au kia haere ki te pikitia. Kia ahatia! Me noho koe ki te whakaoti i ō mahi mō te kura. / You promised that I would be allowed to go to the film. So what! You must stay and finish your homework.
Synonyms: hai aha!, hei aha koa, aua atu (rā)
pēhea
1. (verb) (-tia) how? how about? what about? of what sort? of what nature? treat in what way? act in what way? - an interrogative which can be used as an adjective or an ordinary verb and may be used passively. In colloquial speach a particle preceding pēhea at the start of a sentence may be omitted, but in formal writing it should be included.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 1, 32, 99; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 63-64;)
2. (verb) which way? which direction?.
kia ahatia ai [koe]
1. what business is it of yours, what's it got to do with you, why should it be my concern, so what, what do you want me to do about it - an idiom to indicate that the speaker has no interest in the matter being raised.
Rangi: Kei te mōhio au ki ngā whakautu tika ki te rārangi pātai nei. Pare: Kia ahatia ai koe? (HKK 1999:90). / Rangi: I know the right answers to this list of questions. Pare: So what do you want me to do about it?
he aha te aha
1. what is what, what's what, nothing changes, nothing changed, to no avail, it was a waste of time - an idiom also used at the end of a sentence to indicate that what is stated preceding the idiom was a waste of time or of no benefit.
Kua hia marama ia e ako ana ki te kauhoe, he aha te aha! / Although she has been learning to swim for many months, she still can't!
Ahakoa pēhea taku whakaatu atu me pēnei kē te tui noke, he aha te aha! (HKK 1999:69). / No matter how I showed her that threading worms should be done this way, it was a waste of time!
mā tēnā ka aha?
1. what would that solve? what will that solve? what would that achieve? what difference will that make? - a kīwaha to question the value of doing something. Also as mā tērā ka aha.
Tau: Kei te whakaharatau rātou i ngā ahiahi katoa. Ira: Mā tēnā ka aha! Ka koretake tonu te koretake, ahakoa te aha (HJ 2012:30). / Tau: They are practising every evening. Ira: What's the point! The hopeless will still be useless, no matter what.
2. (noun) you idiot, what a fool, what a moron, what a blockhead - a term of criticism with numerous equivalents in English.
hei aha (koa/noa iho)
1. be that as it may, nevertheless, what for, what does it matter? so what? anyway, no matter - an idiom indicating that there is nothing to worry about or that there is no point in pursuing a particular activity.
Ai! I wareware i a au taku pukapuka. Hei aha koa. Kei a au tāku. / Heck! I've forgotten my book. It doesn't matter. I have mine.
See also hei aha (noa iho)
Synonyms: anō, me aha koa, ahakoa, hei aha koa, he ahakoa, aua atu (rā)
mā tērā ka aha?
1. what would that solve? what will that solve? what would that achieve? - a kīwaha to question the value of doing something.
Mā tērā ka aha i te mea kāore he mana o ngā Māori ki te tuku kē i ērā whenua i te mea ko te kāwanatanga kē te kaitiaki. / What would that achieve because we have no authority to cede those lands because the government are the guardians.
See also mā tēnā ka aha?
hei a [koe] (rā) hoki
1. what's with you,what's wrong with you,what's the matter with you, you've got a nerve - an idiom used to express the opinion that an idea or something someone has done is a little strange or surprising. May be used to show disapproval.
Hei a koe hoki e kangakanga nā i ō tamariki (HKK 1999:81). / What's wrong with you swearing at your children.
Hei a koe hoki! Hei tō noho mai anō nei kāore he rangatira i tua atu i a koe! / Get you sitting there like there's nobody more important than you!
ki a [koe] (rā) hoki
1. what's with you, what's wrong with you, what's the matter with you - an idiom used to express the opinion that an idea or something someone has done is a little strange or surprising. May be used to show disapproval.
Moana: Kua kore au e āwhina i a ia. Mere: Ki a koe hoki! Ko ia tō hoa. / Moana: I won't help her. Mere: What's the matter with you! She's your friend.
Uru: Kāore māua e pai ki te toa rā - he Īnia hoki ngā rangatira. Pare: Ki a kōrua hoki! He aha te mate o te Īnia? (HJ 2012:31). / Uru: We don't like that shop - the owners are Indians. Pare: What's the matter with you two! What's the problem with Indians?
[māu] (rawa) ka aha?
1. what will [you] achieve by that?, what difference will [you] make?, what can you do? - an idiom suggesting that there is no point in doing something.
E mea ana au me peka atu ki tō rāua. Māu rawa ka aha? / I am saying that we should stop off at their place. What is the point of that?
See also mā tēnā ka aha?
me aha koa
1. be that as it may, nevertheless, what for? what does it matter? so what? anyway, no matter.
Ka kī ētahi he mea uaua tonu te ako i te reo Māori. Me aha koa. He aha te hē o te whakamātau? / Some say it's very difficult to learn Māori. Be that as it may, what's wrong with trying?
Synonyms: anō, ahakoa, hei aha koa, he ahakoa, hei aha (koa/noa iho), aua atu (rā)
ai
1. (particle) always, regularly, usually - shows habitual action. In this usage the verb is followed by ai, but no particle is used before the verb. In this and all the following subentries, if present, a manner particle (i.e. kau, kē, noa, rawa or tonu) will follow immediately after the verb, then a directional particle (i.e. mai, atu, iho, or ake), and then ai. Other particles (i.e. anō, hoki, anake, koa, rānei or pea) will follow ai in the phrase. The other locative particles, nei, nā, rā and ana do not occur when ai is used.
(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 8;)
Haere ai rāua ki te whare karakia i ia Rātapu. / They go to church every Sunday.
Ahakoa haere ia ki hea, haria ai e ia tana kurī. / No matter where she goes she takes her dog.
Haere ai ngā tāngata i ētahi wā, heoi anō, hoki tonu mai ai rātou (TWK 35:19). / People go away sometimes, but they continually return.
Synonyms: riterite, ka mutu tonu te/tā ...
2. (particle) and then, consequently - when ka preceeds the verb and ai follows it, this denotes an action or state consequent upon some previous action. This usage may also follow another clause beginning with mā.
(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 68; Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 29;)
Whakarongo ki ngā tohutohu, ka tīmata ai i ā koutou mahi. / Listen to the instructions and then start your work.
Kua pāhitia e te Kāwanatanga kia toru ngā tau kātahi ka hoki ai ngā minita ki ō rātou mīhana (TTT 1/11/1921:9). / The Government has passed a law that after three years the ministers then return to their missions.
Mā tāu rourou, mā tāku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi (HJ 2012:190). / With your small flax plaited food basket and my small flax plaited food basket the visitors will be sustained.
See also ka ... ai
3. (particle) when will, when did - used in questions and statements about when something happened or will happen. For the past tense i will preceed the verb and ai will follow, but in the future tense ai will follow the verb, but no particle, ka or e may preceed the verb.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 46, 85;)
Nōnahea ō mōhiti i ngaro ai? / When did your glasses go missing?
Āhea kōrua haere ai ki Te Waipounamu? Ā te 14 o Poutūterangi. / When do you two go to the South Island? On the 14th of March.
Hei te Rāhoroi tāua whakatā ai. / On Saturday you and I will rest up.
Kua hikitia tā tātou hui - hei ātahirā rā anō ka tū ai. / Our meeting has been put off - it will be held the day after tomorrow.
Mō āwhea e tuwhera ai te huarahi hou? (HJ 2012:185). / When will the new road open?
4. (particle) by what means, by what way, via where - in questions and statements about how someone is travelling or via what place.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 47-48;)
Mā hea koe haere ai? Mā runga pahi. / How did you travel? By bus.
Mā hea kōrua hoki atu ai ki Tāmaki-makau-rau - mā Tauranga, mā Rotorua rānei? Mā Tauranga. / What way are you two returning to Auckland - via Tauranga or Rotorua?
See also mā hea
5. (particle) when, where, which, who, whom, that, during which, at which (time), that caused, by which, whereby, why - In clauses in the past tense expressing a resultant action in relation to a particular time, place, reason, way, thing or person already stated in the first part of the sentence. In these subordinate clauses, i will preceed the verb and ai will follow.
(Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 43-44; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 23-24; Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 28-29, 120;)
Ko Te Arawa te waka i ū mai ai ki konei. / Te Arawa was the canoe that landed here.
Ko te 1840 te tau i hainatia ai te Tiriti o Waitangi (HJ 2012:187). / The year that The Treaty of Waitangi was signed was 1840.
He hōhā nōku i kōrero pēnā ai. / It was because I was fed up that I spoke like that.
Koia rā te huarahi i tae mai ai rātou ki te marae. / That was the road by which they reach the marae.
Kāore taku mokopuna i whiwhi i tāna i hiahia ai ia. / My granddaughter didn't get that which she wanted.
See also tā ... i ... ai, he aha ... i ... ai, he aha ... i kore ai e ...?, he aha ai?, te ... ai
6. (particle) when, where, which, who, whom, that, during which, at which (time), that caused, by which, whereby, why - In clauses in the future tense expressing a resultant action in relation to a particular time, place, reason, way, thing or person already stated in the first part of the sentence. In these subordinate clauses, e (or sometimes ka) will preceed the verb and ai will follow. Also used for habitual actions and for subordinate clauses when time is more general and not just the future.
Ko te 7 o Haratua te rā e haere ai māua ki Potukara. / The 7th May is the day that she and I go to Portugal.
Ko te Hōhipera o Waikato te wāhi e pokaina ai ahau. / Waikato Hospital is the place where I will be operated on.
Mā te hīkoikoi i ia rā e ora ai ahau. / By walking each day I will become healthy.
Ko Aroha te wahine e tūtaki ai koe i te whare pukapuka. / Aroha is the woman who you meet at the library.
Me pēwhea ka ora ai tātou? (HJ 2012:189). / How will we survive?
See also he aha ... e ... ai, te ... ai
7. (particle) to (do something) - after verbs following location as an alternative to ki te.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 129;)
Haere atu ki korā tākaro ai! / Go over there to play!
Ki whea tātou tūtaki ai ā mua o te konohete? / Where will we meet before the concert?
8. (particle) so that, in order that - after kia.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 99; Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 31-32;)
E tuhia ana ēnei kupu kia ako ai koe i te reo Māori. / These words are being written so that you can learn Māori.
See also kia kore ai ... e ..., kia ... ai
9. (particle) why?, that - the negative tē also combines with ai, often to follow he aha to ask 'why', or following a reason that something didn't happen. A verb will be placed between tē and ai.
He aha kōrua tē haere tahi mai ai? / Why didn't you two come together?
Nā te pāngia o Hare e te mate tē tae mai ai ia ki te hui (HJ 2012:192). / Because Harry went down sick, he didn't make the meeting.
See also tē ai he ...
10. (particle) mainly because.
I wera katoa i te ahi, i te maroke ai hoki o aua rākau. / It was burnt completely by the fire, mainly because the timber was so dry.
mā hea
1. by what means? by what way? via where?.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 47-48; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 66;)
See also mā hea mai/atu ...?, ai
