Māori Grammar List

Read the noun first and its modifier next. A whole noun phrase can then act as a subject or appear after a preposition.

The subject follows the action phrase. A name commonly takes a, while a pronoun normally stands without that personal article.

Māori phrases often begin with a small word that shows their role. Read that word together with the base that follows.

Read ā, ē, ī, ō and ū as long vowels. Keep the length even when a word is familiar.

An ordinary personal-name subject commonly has a. Names after ko or in possessive phrases follow different frames.

These are first-person singular pronouns. Their choice depends on the construction and speaker preference, rather than a different person or tense.

E occurs in short commands such as E tū, E noho and E kai. Established commands such as Tū mai! can stand without initial e.

Haere mai means come toward the relevant center; haere atu means go away from it. The center can shift with the speaker or story.

Place he before the descriptive noun phrase, then identify its subject. Use ko for a naming or identifying construction.

A he phrase can introduce an indefinite item or classify a subject. Its English meaning can be a, an or some.

The object phrase follows the verb and subject in a basic transitive clause. Personal objects use their own marking.

In a past location predicate, i comes before the place phrase. It does not require a separate verb meaning was.

The verb base remains unchanged. Its subject follows the predicate in a basic positive clause.

Keep the object marker i and personal article a before a name or suitable pronoun. The subject pronoun ia is a different unit.

Ka is common in future plans and narrative sequences. The surrounding text supplies the event’s time.

A location predicate can stand before its subject. A place name and an ordinary noun phrase take different accompanying articles.

Place the subject after the question phrase. The answer commonly uses kei with the location.

Put kei te before the action phrase, then the subject. The verb base does not change for I, you or they.

Use ki with a destination or goal. Common nouns, place names and personal recipients each keep their appropriate phrase marking.

Use the personal article a after ki before a personal name or suitable pronoun. With ahau, the common complete form is ki ahau.

A ko construction identifies someone or something. It does not replace every English use of is.

Place ko before the identified name or definite phrase. Tēnei, tēnā or tērā points to what is being identified.

Ia does not specify gender. Translate it as he, she or singular they only when the context supports that choice.

The result is relevant to the reference time. English may use has, have, already or a simple state to express it.

Both pronouns mean you without including the speaker. Māori marks the number of addressees explicitly.

Both refer to a group of three or more that includes the speaker. Inclusive and exclusive reference can change who is invited to act.

Both pronouns refer to exactly two people including the speaker. The difference is whether the addressee is the other person.

Ng represents one nasal consonant. Wh commonly has an f-like sound, with important regional differences.

Ngā points to two or more identifiable people or things. Most noun bases stay unchanged after it.

Kei te pēhea asks how someone or something is. Other frames ask how an action was or will be done.

These pronouns exclude the speaker and the addressee. Neither form marks gender.

Te usually points to one identifiable person or thing. The following noun base often stays the same in its plural phrase.

All three can mean my for one possessed item. Taku does not choose the a or o category and must accompany a noun.

Tēnei is linked to the speaker, tēnā to the addressee and tērā to neither. They can stand alone or introduce a noun.

Use tētahi for an individual and ētahi for some members of a group. In context these forms can also mean another or others.

The question word appears within the frame that suits the question. Identity, action and object questions use different surrounding markers.

These response words can stand alone. A full negative statement still needs the negative construction that fits its predicate.

Their viewpoints match tēnei, tēnā and tērā. The initial t is absent in the plural forms.

Control and the nature of the relationship help explain many choices. Learn common relationship patterns and allow context to change a choice.

A purpose clause with e ... ai can present an intended result alongside its enabling action or requirement.

E ... ana presents an ongoing situation at a contextually established time; Northland usage also favors it for habits.

E hia asks for a numerical quantity, answered by a counting clause or a short number expression.

An e-marked number predicate states a quantity, followed by the plural set being counted.

Ehara ... i te rejects a proposed category or nominal description.

Link contrasting claims while preserving the grammar of each clause.

He introduces an indefinite item and a following possessive identifies whose it is. No English-style have verb is inserted.

Time phrases establish an event’s setting separately from the particles framing its predicate.

I te presents an ongoing past activity or state; simple i marks a past event without specifying that progressive viewpoint.

These day expressions locate events without changing the verbal base.

Tomorrow gives a ka clause a future setting; ka also occurs with present situations and past narratives.

Kaua e forms a prohibition or negative command.

Combine upper and lower locatives with particles appropriate to destination or location.

Kia can introduce a desired state, an encouragement or a desired action within a larger clause.

Kotahi states a quantity of one; a basic full counting clause follows it with a singular noun phrase.

Say that a participant has been doing something for a long time.

This construction says an event or resulting state has not been reached by the reference time.

Kāore + subject + e + verb denies a nonpast action; context distinguishes “does not” from “will not.”

The past negative places the subject after kāore and i before the verbal predicate.

A negative location clause places the subject after kāore and introduces the location with i.

Kāore + subject + i te + verb denies an activity in progress, with present or past time supplied by context.

Group items or express accompaniment while retaining each noun phrase’s determiner.

Me introduces what should or must be done; active and e-agent transitive frames both occur.

These forms can mark an intended beneficiary, purpose or prospective relation. The a/o contrast is part of the construction.

The preposition combines with the singular pronoun ending. Māu/mōu and māna/mōna use the same person system.

In ownership questions, nā wai and nō wai ask whose it is. Their a/o contrast must fit the relationship.

Express position relative to an enclosure or an oriented reference point.

Offer alternatives between items or activities using Māori particle placement.

Use an a or o phrase after the noun phrase. The category belongs to the relationship between that noun and its possessor.

Distinguish a number predicate from a number included within a noun phrase.

Build larger numbers with multipliers before their units and smaller groups after larger ones.

Form personal number predicates such as tokorua and tokoono.

Tā and tō mark one possessed item; ā and ō mark several. The following pronoun states who the possessors are.

The forms distinguish a and o possession without specifying gender. Neutral tana can precede a noun without choosing either category.

Tāu uses the a category and tōu the o category. Neutral tō can also precede a noun without selecting between those categories.

These questions ask when an event will happen or when it happened.

Both forms can locate a situation at the present time; āianei also has meanings including ‘today’ and ‘soon’.

The number change concerns the possessed items, not the speaker. Āku uses the a category and ōku the o category.

The forms distinguish a and o possession. They do not indicate whether the singular possessor is male, female or another gender.

The possessor is one addressee. The plural number belongs to the things or people related to that addressee.

Established compounds such as kaimahi, kaiwaiata and kaikōrero name performers or roles.

Passive imperatives tell the addressee to act on an affected participant.

Recognize established passive endings, accepted variants, and changes to the base.

Partial reduplication repeats less than a whole base; its meaning depends on the word.

Hokihoki can express frequent or separate returns; katakata can express giggling or frequent laughter.

A passive presents the affected participant as subject; an optional e phrase identifies the actor.

Ahakoa introduces a concession: “despite” or “although”.

After suitable descriptions, ake and iho express relative degree.

Recognize vertical direction and established extended meanings.

Use placement to distinguish repetition, addition, and actor emphasis.

An e phrase identifies who performs the action of a passive predicate.

An additive or explanatory particle, distinct from the verb meaning return.

A temporal or conditional eventuality linked to a response.

An if construction followed by a separately formed consequence.

Ki te + verb can name an intended action or learned skill that completes a preceding predicate.

Kia … ai introduces an intended result.

A following particle contrasting a property, owner, or event with an expectation.

Express viewpoint in movement, transfer, and communication.

Foreground the actor taking responsibility for a task.

Ask who will carry out a task.

Conditional openings whose clause patterns depend on the intended situation.

A particle with construction-specific extent, endpoint, and limited-quantity readings.

A descriptive base with ake and an i phrase compares relative degree.

Foreground who performed a past action.

A causal unit introducing a clause that explains a statement or recommendation.

Ask for the responsible actor in a past event.

Connect a participant with a source or belonging relationship.

Ask about origin or belonging.

A causal expression distinct from nō marking origin or ownership.

An uncertainty particle illustrated in negative predictions and approximate counts.

Rawa can express high degree, excess, strong negation or an emphasized endpoint.

Rite with a ki phrase expresses likeness or sameness in context.

A non-singular pronoun followed by ko and a name groups participants together.

Learn these complete singular and plural forms as a lexical pair.

This exceptional noun pair distinguishes number through first-vowel length.

Nominal endings such as -tanga, -nga and -hanga form nouns from suitable bases.

Te mea + description + rawa (atu) can mean “the most … one” within a relevant comparison set.

Tino intensifies a suitable description or predicate.

Express continuation and construction-specific emphasis.

A sentence-opening possibility expression meaning perhaps or possibly.

The plural has a long first vowel, written ā.

Learn each complete whaka- word and the construction it takes.

Whakaroa expresses extending duration; whakapotohia can command shortening.

A relative clause follows the noun it identifies or describes.

A definite ko phrase can introduce the topic of a following comment.

Ai connects a relative event to a relation supplied by its head.

Arā identifies or clarifies preceding wording.

An e … ana clause after a noun describes an activity involving that noun.

E … nei gives a relative event immediate, usually speaker-associated framing.

Postverbal nā gives a relative description an addressee-associated viewpoint.

E … rā gives a relative event distant spatial or discourse framing.

E kore … e expresses nonoccurrence, commonly in a prediction or commitment.

A nominal negative and an affirmative replacement form a corrective contrast.

He aha with ai asks why an event happened, will happen or did not happen.

Interpret heoi or heoi anō through the connection between surrounding statements.

Predicate i gives a following relative event past reference.

I mua i places an event before a reference event or time.

I muri i expresses temporal after or a position behind a reference.

A clause after te wā identifies a period containing another situation.

Ka mutu can describe an ending or introduce an additional point.

Warning kei names an event to avoid, often after a precaution.

The complete kei tūpono ka frame means “in case” or “lest perhaps”.

A ko phrase highlights a participant before a verbal predicate or identifies someone through a nominal role.

Ko wai requests an identity, including that of a participant in an activity.

Kē can emphasize that a kua event or state is already established.

Kāore he denies the existence or availability of an indefinite item in context.

Engari connects a negative statement with a contrasting or corrective proposition.

Kātahi with ka advances a narrative to its next development.

Kīhai … i is an established past negative with documented regional preference.

Mehemea with a kua result can express an unrealized past possibility.

A nō temporal phrase supplies a past reference point for a ka event.

Otirā introduces a contrast, qualification or contextually related extension.

Demonstratives can refer to a claim, proposed activity or described occasion.

Nō hea can occur inside a statement about what someone understands.

Taea expresses ability or possibility with participant marking different from an ordinary active clause.

Reduplication alone predicts neither the passive stem nor its suffix.

Passive and actor emphasis organize participants differently.

Direction combines with repetition, emphasis, and aspect within a predicate.

Connected clauses can describe different groups that English calls “we”.

Quotation preserves a speaker's voice; e ai ki attributes a proposition to a source.

Known or believed content can retain modal, aspectual or conditional structure.

Event noun phrases can function as subjects or as references in temporal and possessive constructions.

Pīrangi can introduce an intended action with ki te or a desired event with kia.

Anake means only; its scope follows the phrase and context.

E ai ki introduces information attributed to a person or another source.

Hei introduces what something is intended to serve as or be used for.

Hei introduces an intended item or role; mā or mō identifies its beneficiary.

Distributive ia identifies individual units, unlike personal ia.

Ka taea expresses ability or possibility without asserting performance.

Katoa expresses completeness in nominal phrases and appropriate predicates.

Negative ability preserves the participant roles of affirmative taea.

This idiom presents an action as something someone has to do.

Anake after the prospective actor phrase restricts who will or should perform the action.

Grouping modifiers describe how participants act, rather than their total number.

An actor-centered nominalization can retain an i-marked affected participant.

O can introduce an arriving participant, an activity that ends or an affected participant.

Nuinga names the greater part; the o phrase supplies the reference set.

Repeated ētahi phrases introduce contextually contrasting subsets.

An emphatic question can challenge a proposal by exposing an obstacle.

Double vowels are an established alternative to macrons in community writing conventions.

Interpret aspect and movement from the scene currently established in a narrative.

Use phrase structure and surrounding discourse to distinguish competing readings.

Follow an argument without treating its reasons as proof or its recommendations as event reports.

Formal expression frames relationships and aspirations through familiar Māori constructions.

Separate public definitions and attributed positions from the obligations they describe.

Keep a narrator's framing separate from the perspective represented inside a quotation.

Kāi Tahu kā, takata, mauka and kāika retain ordinary grammatical roles.

Replies can supply a requested detail without repeating an established event.

Established negative constructions can deliver emphatic refusals and corrective claims.

Repeated clause structures organize sequence, contrast and responsibility.

Read compact images, parallel clauses, and contextual fragments without inventing uniquely missing words.

Separate continuation, restriction, contrast, and uncertainty by the phrase each modifies.

Figurative predicates describe people and ideas through concrete images.

Older texts require attention to vocabulary, writing conventions and transcription.

Names, pronouns and recoverable omissions connect participants across clauses.

Some Tūhoe written forms use n corresponding to widely used ng.

A whakataukī combines inherited wording, figurative meaning and a particular application.

Initial phrases organize information through distinct constructions.