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;)
