A MINI MAORI COURSE

Tu Tangata, Issue 11, 1 April 1983, Page 16

A MINI MAORI COURSE

John Foster

Here is the second of a three-part course for all of you wishing to learn to speak Maori. It does not claim to provide all the answers or any short cuts, and it’s not a dictionary. But it does outline the basic structures which you will need to be familiar with, and it offers examples and models from which you can form your own sentences. The course is designed as a reference or “ready-reckoner” to help you to learn the vital sentence pattern of conversational Maori, and should prove useful to those who have perhaps lost what they learned and wish to brush up their ability. It is designed also to complement the best teaching programme of all regular practice.

7.2 The possessive adjectives. Ko tenei taku pene = this is my pen He tino nui to raua whare = their house is very big Homai ana pukapuka = give me his books Tikina au kuri = fetch your dogs.

The full set: Singular Plural (one thing) (several things) one person My Taku, toku aku, oku Your tau, tou au, ou His, her tana, tona ana, ona two people Our (inclusive) ta taua, to taua a taua, o taua Our (exclusive) ta maua, to maua a maua, o maua Your ta korua, to korua a korua, o korua Their ta raua, to raua a raua, o raua several people Our (inclusive) ta tatou, to tatou a tatou, o tatou Our (exclusive) ta matou, to matou a matou, o matou Your ta koutou, to koutoua koutou, o koutou Their ta ratou, to ratou a ratou, o ratou

7.3 Statements of actual ownership He pene taku He potae tona = she has a hat He poi a korua = you have pois He wahine ta Ropata = Ropata has a wife He tamariki a raua = they have children Note how “he” is used in conjunction with the possessive adjectives in 7.2, and the way in which one or several things may be referred to.

7.4 “belongs to’’. Another choice for expressing ownership. Na taku hoa tena pu = that gun belong to my friend No Rua tera whare = that house belongs to Rua Naku tenei wati = this watch belongs to me (is mine) No raua era hoiho = those horses belong to them (are theirs)

Note: a. the same form is used whether one thing or several are referred to; b. the full set of the pronoun form is the same as the singular column in table 7.2, but with “n” replacing the first “t”.

7.5 “is for (someone to have)” Mo nga tamariki enei kakahu = these clothes are for the kids Ma Paki tena keke = that cake is for Paki Mana tenei reta this letter is for him/her

No raua era hoiho = those horses belong to them (are theirs) Mo tatou tera motuka hou = that new car is for us Note: a. the same form is used whether one thing or several are referred to; b. the full set of the pronoun form is the same as the singular column in table 7.2, but with “m” replacing the first “t”.

7.6 “for” used descriptively Ko tenei te potae mou = this is the hat for you he tino pai nga pukapuka ma nga tamariki - the books for the children are very good Note this different use of “for”, “hei” = for use as, with which to, for. Homai he ngira hei tuhituhi i tenei tokena = give me a needle for sewing this sock

fh Descriptive clauses are groups of words used for describing people or things. The clause is placed directly after the person or thing being described. For example if “e noho ana = is sitting” is placed after “te wahine” we have “te wahine e noho ana = the woman (who is) sitting”. We may choose to leave out “who is” in certain cases, but note that the Maori version serves both the English versions. Replacing “ana” by “nei”, “na”, or “ra” gives an added reference to location. The verb signs “kua” and “i” may be used in forming these clauses.

Nga kotiro e waiata ana = the girls who are singing Te kuri e patua ana = the dog that is being hit Nga manuhiri kua tae mai = the guests who have arrived Te tama i oma kite kainga = the boy who ran to the village, who ran home Nga manu e rere ra = the birds flying over there Te Pepi e moe nei = the baby sleeping here Era tamariki e whangai ana i nga kawhe = those children feeding the calves Nga mea e mahia ana e nga kaimahi = the things being made by the workers Note that the verbs in these clauses can be in either active or passive form, to give the required meaning.

9. The “agent emphatic” In Maori a special construction is used to stress the person or thing that carries out some action. “Na i” indicates past or present time; “Ma e future time. Na nga manu enei pi i kai = the birds ate these peas Na Huria nga kakahu i horoi the clothes Naku nga rare i hoko mai Ma te kaikorero nga manuhiri e mihi the orator will greet the guests Ma Patu te wharenui e whakairo = Patu will carve the meeting house Ma raua taua tamaiti e tiaki = they will look after that child (you mentioned) “Naku” and Ma raua” belong to the “a” form sets (i.e. not “noku”, “mo raua”) referred to in 7.4 b and 7.5 b, any of which may be used to form the “agent emphatic”. This is a very common and important construction in Maori.

10.1 “Kia” has a very wide range of meanings, so only one or two of the most important are set out here. An order to someone to display some quality. Kia pai! = be good! Kia ora! = be well! Kia manawanui! = be stout hearted, patient! Kia tere! = be quick! 10.2 An order, request or wish of one person for other people to carry out some action; or for circumstances to bring about some desired result; kia = that should “kia =to (do something)”. I hiahia toku whaea kia mahi tonu au = my mother wished that I should keep working. Tukua matou kia hoki ki o matou kainga = permit (allow) us to return to our homes Kua whakaae ona hoa kia noho a Pare = her friends have agreed that Pare should stay Ka whakahau te Kingi kia haere ratou = the King ordered that they should go (them to go)

11.1 A few useful negatives Concerning identity: That is not a cow = Ehara tera i te kau That is not the cow = Ehara tera i te kau Note that the negatives of these two sentences are the same Ehara ena i oku hu = those are not my shoes

11.2 Concerning quality: This is not big = Ehara tenei i te nui These sweets are not nice = Ehara enei rare i te pai (reka)

11.3 Concerning different states of action: I am not writing (to Matangi) = Kahore ahau e tuhituhi ana (ki a Matangi) (neg. of “E tuhituhi ana ahau”) or, Kahore ahau i te tuhituhi (neg. of “Kei te tuhituhi/I te tuhituhi ahau”) He won’t (will not) work = Kahore ia e mahi Hori did not go (to school) = Kahore a Hori i haere (kite kura).

11.4 Concerning possession: He has not got the axe = Kahore i a ia te toki He does not possess (own) an axe Kahore ana toki (lit. none his axes, “He does not have axes” is needed in Maori to say “He does not have an axe”)

11.5 Other common negatives No! = Kao! or Kahore! Do not go = Kaua e haere (tangi, kai, pupuhi, etc.) Do not wash this blanket = Kaua e horoia tenei paraikete (use verb in the passive form for this type of order or instruction)

12.1 Questions and answer forms.

This section is probably the most important for a learner. Although there are, of course, thousands of questions that can be asked the actual forms that questions can take are quite few.

They are all set out here, systematically, to help you remember them.

Fortunately, in Maori a question and its answer nearly always use the same sentence pattern, and in many cases only one word need be altered to turn the question into its answer.

A question can concern any one of such a wide range of activities or circumstances that this section is, in effect, a summary of the whole course.

However the most important contribution of ‘questions and answers’ is that they bring the learner into direct speaking practice with another person of at least equal ability. In a word they are the essence of communication.

People who are already able to speak Maori have a clear obligation to help you in a sincere manner.

Remember, once you have learnt a particular sentence pattern you must form many others of your own to build up your ability, confidence, and speed.

a. Identity He aha tenei? = what is this? He tiki tena = that is a tiki He aha era mea (maa) = what are those white things? Maa He manu (era mea (maa) = those white things are birds? Ko wai tera tangata? = who is that man? Ko Hone tera tangata = That (man) is Hone Ko wai ma era kotiro? = Who are those girls? Ko Hine ma = (they are) Hine and the others Ko wai tona ingoa? = what is her name? (not “He aha...”) Ko Kiri tona ingoa = her name is Kiri

b. Location Kei hea to hoa? = where is your friend? Kei te taone = at town I hea taku pene? = where was my pen? I runga tau pene i te tepu = your pen was on the table He aha kei roto i tau kete? = what is in your kit? He riwai kei roto i taku kete = there are potatoes in my kit

No hea a Henare? = where is Henare from? (his home place or tribe)

No Tikitiki (Ngati Porou) a Henare = Henare is from (belongs to (Tikitiki) Ngati Porou)

c. Action E aha ana ia; kei te aha ratou? = what is he doing? what are they doing? E takoto ana ratou; kei te takoto ratou = they are lying down Ite aha ia? = what was he doing? I te mahi ia = he was working E aha ana ia ite hoiho = what is she doing to the horse? (not “ki te hoiho”) E whangai ana ia i te hoiho = she is feeding the horse Kei te mahi nga kamura i te aha? = what are the carpenters making? Kei te mahi raua i te tepu hou = the are making a new table E haere ana koe ki hea? - where are you going to? E haere ana ahau ki toku whare = I am going to my house

Ka korero ia ki a wai? = who will he talk to (to whom will he talk)? Ka korero ia ki a Ruihi ma = he will talk to Louise and the others lahatia te mihini horoi kakahu? = what happened to the washing machine machine? (Do not use “ki”. “Happen to” is built into the passive form “ahatia”). I hokona atu = (it) was sold Na wai nga heeki hoko mai = who bought the eggs (who did buy)? (Agent emphatic) Na Hoani nga heeki i hoko mai = Hoani bought the eggs Ma wai tenei aporo e kai? = who will eat this apple?(Agent emphatic) Mana = she will Na te aha nga riwai i kai = what has eaten the potatoes? Na te kiori nga riwai i kai = (it was) mice (that) ate the potatoes

d. Possession Na wai enei rare? = whose are these lollies? (possession, compare with c.) Naku ena rare = those lollies are mine No wai tera hoiho? = who does that horse belong to? No toku tungane tera hoiho = that horse belongs to my brother (said by girl) Ma wai enei kai? = who is this food for? (future possession, compare with c.) Ma Hera raua ko Pita = (it) is for Hera and Pita Mo wai tera poroka = who is that pullover for? Mo taku tamahine = for my daughter Kei a wai te tikera? = who has the kettle? Kei a Huhana te tikera = Huhana has it / a wai taku wati = who had my watch? I to papa to wati = your father had it

e. Time E hoa, he aha te taima? = I say old chap, what’s the time? E waru karaka te taima = it is eight o’clock Nonahea ratou i tae mai ai? = when did they arrive? No te Mane ratou i tae mai ai = the arrived on Monday Ahea to papa (e) hoki ai ki Akarana? = when will your father go back to Auckland? A te Paraire = on Friday The “ai” in these last two questions just re-stresses the time of the event and implies “when”, “at which”, “thereat”

f. Quantity E Hia au kuri? = how many dogs do you have? E rima aku kuri = I have five dogs

Tokohia a korua tamariki? = how many children do you have? Tokorua = two

g. Quality He aha te kara o ona tokena? = what is the colour of his socks?

He kowhai te kara o ona tokena = the colour of his socks is yellow

He koi ranei tau toki? = is your axe sharp? Ae, he tino koi rawa = yes, very sharp indeed “Ranei” is a word of enquiry, introduced to change a statement into a question

h. Distinction Ko tehea te whare o te minita? = which is the vicar’s house? Ko tera whare = that house is Ko ehea nga taputapu a Ropota? = which are Ropata’s tools? Ko enei = these are

i. Reason He aha ratou i noho ai? = why did they stay? He hiamoe no ratou i noho ai = because they were sleepy they stayed He aha a Hera i hoko ai i tenei pukapuka? = why did Hera buy this book? I hoko a Hera i tenei pukapuka kia ako ai i te reo Maori = Hera bought this book so as to learn Maori To ask “why” in Maori is the most complicated question form, and the answer is less limited in form than for the other replies; the “ai” is used to imply “what cause?” Hei aha tena tupara? = what is that shotgun for? Hei pupuhi i nga rapeti = to shoot the rabbits

12.2 Using pictures to practice questions and answers. The number in the margin shows which picture is referred to. Location

1) Kei hea nga tamariki? = where are the children? Kei roto ratou i te ruma = they are in the room Kei hea te ruma? = where is the room? Kei te whare kura = at (the) school

2) Kei hea te wahine ratou ko ana tamariki? = where is the lady and her children? Kei te kainga ratou = they are at home Kei hea te pukapuka = where is the book Kei runga te pukapuka i te tepu = the book is on the table

3) Kei hea nga wahine e noho ana = where are the women sitting Kei waho ratou i te whare = they are outside the house Kei mua ratou i te whare = they are at the front of the house

Note, at the front’, ‘at the rear’ are expressed as ‘kei mua’, ‘kei muri’ not as ‘kei te mua’ or ‘kei te muri’. These words are termed local, meaning locality, nouns and are the only sort of noun in Maori that is not preceded by ‘te’ or similar word.

Kei runga ratou i te nohoanga = they are on the seat No hea a Hine = where is Hine from (where does Hine belong)? No Ruatoria, no Ngati Porou = from Ruatoria, from (of) Ngati Porou Identity 1) Ko wai te wahine i roto ite ruma ? = who is the woman in the room? Ko Monika te wahine i roto i te ruma = Monika is the woman in the room He aha a Monika? = what is Monika? He kaiwhakaako a Monika = Monika is a teacher

2) Ko wai te ingoa ote whaea o nga tamariki? = what is the name of the children’s mother? Note, always ask ‘ko wai te ingoa’ for a person’s name not ‘he aha te ingoa’ Ko Huia tona ingoa - her name is Huia Ko wai ana tamariki tokorua? = who are her two children ? Note, ‘toko’ is a prefix used before the numbers 2 to 9 when they refer to people. Over 9 does not require ‘toko’. Ko Mere raua ko Huhana - (they are) Mere and Huhana 3) Ko wai te kotiro ataahua e titiro ana ki a tatou? = who is the pretty girl looking at us? Ko Hine, ko te tamahine a Paki = (she is) Hine, Paki’s daughter. 1) He aha tenei? = what is this? He tepu tena = that is a table

He aha enei mea? - what are these things He harakeke = (they are) flax He aha a Monika? - what is Monika? He kaiwhakaako a Monika = Monika is a teacher 2) He aha tenei? = what is this? He pukapuka nui tena = that is a big book He aha tenei? = what is this? He ringi tena = that is a ring or, Ko tana ringi tena - that is her ring 3) He aha enei mea = what are these things? He tioka ena mea = those things are chalk(s) He aha tera? = what is that? He peke (tera) - (that is) a bag or, Ko tera te peke a Hine = that is Hine’s bag Time He aha te taima inaianei? = what is the time now? He rua karaka te taima, he hawhe pahi i te rua karaka ranei = the time is 2 o’clock, or half past 2

Note, ‘ranei’ can have the meaning of ‘or’. Nonahea (or Inaheaj nga tamariki i tae mai ai (kite wharekura) - when did the children arrive here (at/to school) I te ata nei, i te iwa karaka = this morning, at 9 o’clock Ko te aha te rangi nei = what is today (this day) Ko te Turei te rangi nei = today is Tuesday Note, all days must be preceded by ‘te’ Ahea ratou (e) hoki ai kite kainga - when will they go back home

Action 1) E aha ana te kaiwhakaako? = what is the teacher doing? E raranga ana ia i te rourou = she is plaiting a food basket Note, this can mean ‘a food basket’ or ‘the food basket’, ‘te’ is often a shortened form of ‘tetahi = a’ Kei te titiro nga akonga ki a wai? = who are the pupils looking at? Kei te titiro etahi o ratou ki o ratou kaiwhakaako, ki a Monika = some of them are looking at their teacher, Monika Note, ‘E aha ana’ and ‘Kei te aha’ are equally good for ‘what doing’, it is just that ‘Kei te’ is specific to present time, ‘I te aha ratou’ means ‘what were they doing’ (I aha ratou = what did they do). It is often necessary to repeat phrases like ‘ki a’ when adding a more specific reference, ‘Monica’, to some general reference, ‘their teacher’. Such repetition of phrases is very common in Maori, and leads itself to oratory.

2) E aha ana a Huia? = what is Huia doing? E korero pukapuka ana a Huia = Huia is reading Kei te aha a Mere raua ko Huhana? = what are Mere and Huhana doing? Kei to whakarongo raua ki a Huia = they are listening to Huia

3) Kei te aha te potiki nei? = what is this baby doing? Note, ‘te potiki nei = tenei potiki. Other equivalent forms:‘te pukapuka na = tena pukapuka’ ‘te whare re = tera whare’ ‘nga potiki nei = enei potiki’, etc. Kei te noho tino waimarie taua potiki, kei te moe pea = that baby is sitting very quietly, sleeping perhaps Note, ‘taua = that (thing) mentioned before’ ‘aua = those (things) mentioned before’. ‘tino waimarie = very quietly, is in the adverbial position directly following the verb ‘noho. ‘ata noho’ has a similar meaning, using one of the very few adverbs that come in front of the verb. Na wai te rourou i raranga = who plaited the food basket Note, see Agent Emphatic, this form stresses the person. Na Monika te rourou i raranga = Monika plaited the food basket or, it was Monika who plaited the food basket I rarangahia te rourou e wai = by whom was the rourou plaited

Note, see Passive, this form stresses the activity. I rarangahia te rourou e Monika = the food basket was plaited by Monika Possession 2) Na wai te pukapuka? = who does the book belong to? Na Mere pipukapuka = the book belongs to Mere or, the book is Mere’s Kei a wai te pukapuka inaianei? = who has the book now? Kei a Huia te pukapuka = Huia has the book 3) No wai tera whare? = who does that house belong to? No te matua tane o Hine = to Hine’s father 1) Ma wai te rourou = who is the rourou for? Ma te tumuaki pea = for the headmaster, probably Quantity 1) Tokohia nga tamariki i roto ite ropu a Monika = how many children are there in Monika’s group

Tokomaha = there are many

Ki ahau, e rua tekau ma rua nga tamariki - according to me, there are 22 children 2) E hia a ratou pukapuka? = how many books do they have? Kotahi ta ratou pukapuka = they have one book (literally one their book) 3) Tokohia (E hia) nga tane i tenei hui? = how many men are there at this meeting? Kahore he tane = there are no men (there is not a man) Quality 1) He aha nga kara o nga kakahu o nga tamariki? = what are the colours of the children’s clothes? He pango, he ma, he kahurangi, he kowhai, he kakariki, he aha, he aha = they are black, white, blue, yellow, green, and so on

2) He pai he kino ranei a Mere raua ko Huhana? ■- are Mere and Huhana good or naughty? He tino pai rawa raua - they are really good 3) Kei te pehea enei wahine? - how are these women, what are these women like? Kei te pai, kei te ora ratou katoa - they are alright, they are all well

Distinction 1) Ko eha nga tamariki tino mohio ki nga mahi Maori? = which are the children (who are) very knowledgahle at Maori activities? Ko Hemi ma = Hemi and others 2) Ko tehea kotiro te tuahine ate rangatira, ara te tuahine a Ropata = which girl is the sister of the chief, that is to say Ropata’s sister Ko Hine tetahi o ana tuahine = Hine is one of his sisters

Reason 3) He aha nga wahine i huihui ai = why did the women meet (form a gathering, assemble)? I huihui ratou kite korero kite kaiwhakaako hou - they met to talk to the new teacher