kei + place
Saying Where Something Is
Kei introduces a present location.
How It Works
Kei te kāinga au locates me at home now. The te belongs to the noun phrase te kāinga. With a place name, Kei Tāmaki Makaurau au does not need that common-noun article.
This location construction is different from kei te before an action word. Find the base and its meaning before deciding how the opening words work.
Examples (3)
- Kei te kāinga au.
I am at home.
- Kei te kura ngā tamariki.
The children are at school.
- Kei Tāmaki Makaurau a Mere.
Mere is in Auckland.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Introduce present location with kei followed by a place phrase and then its subject in the basic examples. Distinguish a common-noun location from a place name and from kei te introducing an activity.
- Reading a Māori Phrase
Identifying the opening phrase and its base supports reading kei te kāinga as a location predicate before its subject.
Level 1 - te + nounThe Singular Article
Recognizing te kāinga as a noun phrase explains the role of te after kei and why a place name such as Tāmaki Makaurau follows a different article pattern.
Level 1
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice kei + place in Bubblegum
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