How to use the word ‘ai’ in te reo Māori

The word ‘ai’

 

 

 

 

The kupu (word) ‘ai’ is used in a number of different ways in te reo Māori.  Here are 5 main ways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.      TO ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Kei te haere māua ki tātahi kaukau ai.

We’re going to the beach to swim.

 

2.       TO EXPRESS A HABITUAL OR CUSTOMARY ACTION

Pānui ai ngā tamariki i ngā ata.

The children read in the mornings.

 

3.     FOR SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS

(when a sentence contains an action and then a secondary action that happens because of that first action.)

Ka ruku koe i te awa ka puta ake ai anō ki runga.

You dive into the river and then come back up again.

 

4.      IN ORDER THAT, SO, SO THAT

Kia + verb + ai = use this construction to express the purpose  of an action.

 

Pānuitia te karaipiture kia kite ai ko wai te ingoa o te Atua.

Read the scripture (so that you’ll see) to see what God’s name is.

 

Māku ngā taputapu e horoi kia haere tere ai au ki te hui.

I’ll wash the dishes so that I can hurry up and go to the meeting.

 

5.     FOR RELATIVE CLAUSES* (in the past or future tense, when they state a time, place, reason or instrument) 

*  Relative clauses = the second part of the sentence that relates to the first part and is attached by the word who, which or that.

Koinā te take i haere ai te tama.  That’s why the boy went.

Kāore anō kia whakatauria te rā e haere ai māua ki a Ruatoria.

The day we’ll go to Ruatoria hasn’t been decided yet.

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