Grammar:

While – to express ’while something was or is’

 

 There seems to be more than one way in te reo Māori to express the equivalent of ‘while, here’s the first:

I a + subject + e + verb + ana* 

 

I a ia e noho ana.                          

While he was sitting.

 

I a ia e oma ana.

While she was running.

I a Mere e ngongoro ana.

While Mary was snoring.

I te kaiako e kōrero ana, ka tangi te pere.

While the teacher was speaking, the bell rang.

I a koutou e moe ana, ka tae mai ngā manuhiri.

While you were sleeping the visitors arrived.

I a kōrua e kanikani ana, ka puta atu a Rāwiri.

While you two were dancing, Dave left.

Another way to express ‘while’ is  ‘kei + verb + ana’ 

 

Me kaukau tatou kei pai ana te rā.

Let’s swim (we should swim) while it’s still fine.

 

Mahia ngā mahi kei tamariki ana.

Get things done while (you’re) still young.

 

I te wā i mua rā, kei hine ana au.

In time gone by, when (while) I was a girl.

 

Practice with these verbs:  tū (to stand), noho (to sit) pānui (to read), kai (to eat), moe (to sleep), hikoi (to walk)

 

While you (1) are still standing.

Kei tū ana koe.

While you (2) are sitting there. 

Kei noho ana kōrua ki konā.

I have also come across reference to a third way, ‘e + verb + ana + anō’ but as yet haven’t found any examples of this construction in use.