ia

Each

Level 5

Repeating an ia phrase can distribute an activity over individual days, nights, or recipients.

How It Works

Distributive ia means “each” or “every”. Its noun phrase is commonly repeated: ia rā, ia rā presents an activity as recurring day after day. Repetition is usual rather than obligatory.

When the relationship requires a preposition, repeat that preposition with the phrase: ki ia tamaiti, ki ia tamaiti identifies each child as a recipient. Distribution adds no plural agreement ending to the verb.

Compare Kei te waiata ia, “They are singing”, where singular “they” denotes one person. Personal ia does not specify gender. The distributive and personal forms share ordinary spelling but occupy different grammatical roles. Katoa concerns the complete set; distributive ia directs attention to its individual units.

Examples (3)

  1. Ka pānui au ia rā, ia rā.

    I read every day.

    The repeated temporal phrase distributes reading over days.

  2. I hoatu a Mere i tētahi pene ki ia tamaiti, ki ia tamaiti.

    Mere gave a pen to each child.

    The recipient preposition repeats with the distributive phrase.

  3. Ka waiata mātou ia pō, ia pō.

    We sing every night.

    The activity recurs across nights; mātou excludes the addressee.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

iaLevel 5Each

Learn This First

Introduce distributive ia through repeated day, night and recipient phrases. Repeat a required preposition with the phrase, while explaining that phrase repetition is common rather than obligatory and that individual units differ from a complete-set perspective.