Kupu o te Rā

kaimoana

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:00:01 GMT

kaimoana: seafood He pai rawa atu te kaimoana ki a ia.
She really likes seafood. (Literally “Seafood is best to her.”)
- this is an example of a classifying sentence

hī ika

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 12:00:01 GMT

hī ika: to fish with a line

E hī ika ana au ki tātahi.
I'm going to go fishing at the beach.
- this is an example of an active sentence

Kua utaina ngā matau me te aho e ia ki runga i te waka kia hī ika ai.
The fish hooks and fishing line were loaded by him onto the waka in order to fish.
- this is an example of a passive sentence
- this example uses "ai" to indicate purpose

See also ika - fish.

ngaru

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 12:00:01 GMT

ngaru: wave (surf) E kauhoe ana rātou i ngā ngaru.
They are swimming in the waves.
- this is an example of an active sentence

ruku(hia)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:00:01 GMT

ruku(hia): dive, plunge

Kei te ruku pāua a Manu.
Manu is diving for pāua.
- this is an example of an active sentence

I ruku ngā kōtiro ki roto i ngā ngaru.
The girls plunged into the waves.
- this is an example of an active sentence

Haere mai e tama, rukuhia ngā pāua a Tangaroa nei.
Come here son, dive for the pāua belonging to Tangaroa.
- this is an example of a passive sentence
- this is an example of using "a" possession

tākaro(hia)

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:00:01 GMT

tākaro(hia): play

Ka tākaro ngā tamariki ki waho.
The children will play outside.
- this is an example of an active sentence

Kua tākarohia e mātou ngā kēmu e rua.
We’ve played the two games.
- this is an example of a passive sentence

hoe(a)

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 12:00:01 GMT

hoe(a): paddle

Nā Manu te waka i hoe ki te motu.
Manu paddled the boat to the island.
- this is an example of the agent emphatic

I hoea te waka e ngā manuhiri ki te motu.
The boat was paddled by the guests to the island.
- this is an example of a passive sentence

makariri

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 12:00:01 GMT

makariri: cold

He tino makariri te moana.
The sea is very cold.
- this is an example of a classifying sentence

Makariri is also a name for winter.

mahana

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 12:00:02 GMT

mahana: warm

Kei te mahana te wai?
Is the water warm?
- this is an example of a stative sentence

Auē! E mahana haere ana te kaimoana i te rā.
Oh dear! The seafood is getting warm in the sun.
- this is an example of a stative sentence

whakamahana means to warm, for example,

Ka whakamahana au i te kai.
I will warm the food.
- this is an example of an active sentence

kaukau

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 12:00:02 GMT

kaukau: to bathe / swim

I kaukau ngā tamariki i te whanga.
The children bathed (swam) in the bay.
- this is an example of an active sentence

Also see kauhoe - to swim.

E mōhio ana koe ki te kaukau?
Do you know how to swim?
- this is an example of an active sentence

kauhoe

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 12:00:02 GMT

kauhoe: to swim

I kauhoe atu ia ki te motu.
He swam to the island.
- this is an example of an active sentence

Also see kaukau - to bathe.

tai

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 12:00:02 GMT

tai: seaward

Kei tai ngā ika.
The fish are seaward.
- this is an example of a locative sentence

Ka hoe atu ngā tāngata i uta ki tai.
The people will paddle from the shore towards the sea.
- this is an example of an active sentence

Also see uta – ashore.