Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

aha

1. (verb) (-tia) to do what? treated in what fashion? to do anything.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 14, 28, 43-44, 99;)

E kui, me aha au? Me haere ki te whare wānanga, me āwhina i a Pāpā ki ngā mahi o te pāmu, me aha rānei? / Gran, what should I do? Should I go to university, help Dad with the work of the farm, or what?
I ahatia koe? / What happened to you?

Show example

Hide example

See also tūpātai


2. Used with various particles for particular meanings.

Kua kaha te whiua o te pātai he aha tēnei mea te kaumātua me aha rawa rānei te tangata e kaumātua ai ki te titiro a te tangata? (HM 4/1998:2). / What a 'kaumātua' is, or what a person should do to be regarded by people as a 'kaumātua', are very popular questions.

Show example

Hide example

See also he aha te aha, ehara i te mea he aha, hai aha!, hai aha?, hei aha, hei aha!, he aha?, kāore he aha, mā te aha, me te aha, me aha hoki, me aha koa, hei aha atu, hei aha koa, he aha hoki, ahakoa he aha, hei aha [tāu], he aha ... i ... ai, he aha ... e ... ai, tua-


3. (modifier) what sort?.

Tau: He hōiho aha tōna? Ira: He paipōro, he hōiho rata tonu - he pai mō ngā tamariki (HJ 2012:174). / Tau: What sort of horse does he have? Ira: A piebald, and quite a placid horse - good for the children.

Show example

Hide example


4. (noun) what?.

He aha tēnei? He tohutō. / What's this? It's a macron.

Show example

Hide example


5. (noun) anything whatsoever, and other, and others, et cetera.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 115;)

Ka kainga e rāua te poaka, te pikopiko, te aha, te aha. / They ate pork, fern shoots and other foods.

Show example

Hide example


6. (noun) anything, nothing - especially after a negative.

Ehara i te aha. / It's nothing.
Ka pērā tonu ngā kōhine o tērā taipakeke - ka wheke mō te aha te take (HJ 2012:178). / Girls of that age are like that - they become angry for nothing.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kore noa iho, korekore, kāore kau, kore

New favourites & quiz!

The Te Aka Māori Dictionary mobile app now has the ability to sort your favourite words into folders. Plus, these folders can be turned into a quiz for a fun way to learn words and definitions. Download or update the app today!

iOS Android

The App

Te Aka Māori Dictionary is also available as an iOS and Android app. Download below.

iOS Android

The Book

Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary and Index by John C Moorfield comprises a selection of modern and everyday language that will be extremely useful for learners of the Māori language.

More info

He Pātaka Kupu

Te kai a te rangatira

He Pātaka Kupu is a monolingual Māori language dictionary, and was designed using its own culturally authentic terms.

Visit website

00:00