he aha ai?
1. why? - if there is a verb in the sentence, then the ai follows the verb.
(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 23;)
He nui ngā tapepetanga e rangona ana, ā, ahakoa pēhea te whakatika atu ka hē tonu mai. He aha ai? He kore tonu nō ngā kaiwhakaako e whakarongo; arā, kei te rongo engari tē whakarongo! (HM 4/1997:3). / Many errors are heard and no matter how often they are corrected they persist. Why? Because the teachers won't listen, that is they hear but do not listen!
He aha i mahue atu ai i a Hohepa te whenua o Īhipa i haere mai ai ia? (KO 15/5/1883:4). / Why did Joseph leave the land of Egypt that he came from?
See also he aha ... e ... ai, he aha ... i ... ai, he aha ... i kore ai e ...?