i + past location

Saying Where Something Was

Level 1

I can introduce where someone or something was.

How It Works

I te kāinga au says I was at home. I Rotorua a Mere says Mere was in Rotorua. The subject follows the location predicate in these basic clauses.

I also has other jobs, including marking an object and introducing a past action. A noun phrase or place base after it supports the location reading; an action word in a verbal frame supports the past-event reading.

Examples (3)

  1. I te kāinga au.

    I was at home.

  2. I te kura ngā tamariki.

    The children were at school.

  3. I Rotorua a Mere.

    Mere was in Rotorua.

How It Connects

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

i + past locationLevel 1Saying Where Something Was

Learn This First

Present an earlier location with i before the place phrase, without inserting a separate verb for “was.” Identify the following base and clause structure to distinguish this location use from verbal or object-marking i.