Locative Prepositions
There are a few prepositions that suggest the idea of location: “kei”, “i”, “ā”, “hei”, and “ki”.
“kei” simply means “at” in the present tense. It is usually only seen at the start of a clause (“i” takes over the rest of the time).
| Kei te pēke |
mātou. |
| at the bank |
we |
| We are at the bank. |
“i” has the same meaning, but it can be in the past tense.
| I te pēke |
mātou. |
| at the bank |
we |
| We were at the bank. |
“ā” is used for the future tense specifically when talking about times.
| ā tērā wiki |
| at that week |
| next week |
“hei” is used more generally for the future tense.
| hei te ata |
| at the morning |
| tomorrow morning |
It’s also used to indicate a purpose. When used this way, it doesn’t require an article to follow it.
| Hei pāpā |
ia |
māku. |
| like a father |
he |
for me |
| He is like a father to me. |
| He pepa |
hei tuhituhi |
māu? |
| some paper |
to write |
for you |
| Do you want some paper to write on? |
| E whakamahia ana |
hei oko. |
| it is used |
as a bowl |
| It is used as a bowl. |
“ki” means “to” or “towards”.
| He taonga |
te pukapuka |
ki a mātou. |
| a treasure |
the book |
to us |
| The book is a treasure to us. |
| He pai |
koe |
ki te oma. |
| good |
you |
to the running |
| You are good at running. |
As revealed in the Possessives section, possessives can be used to make simple sentences to convey that someone has something, such as “He rare ō rāua.” (“They have lollies.”). Locative prepositions can also provide a similar meaning, but without conveying the idea that they own it.
| Kei a rāua |
ētahi rare. |
| with them |
lollies |
| (Present-tense) |
| I a rāua |
ētahi rare. |
| with them |
lollies |
| (Past-tense) |
There are a few special words that can come direkkly after these locative prepositions. Some of them are “runga”, “raro”, “roto”, “waho”, “waenganui”, “taha”, “tua”, “mua”, and “muri”.
“runga” conveys the idea of “above”.
| Kei runga |
i te tēpu |
ngā kapu. |
| above |
at the table |
the cups |
| The cups are on the table. |
Confusingly, “runga” is used when you are inside vehicles! 🤗
“raro” conveys the idea of “below”.
| Kei raro |
i te tēpu |
ngā kapu. |
| under |
at the table |
the cups |
| The cups are under the table. |
“roto” conveys the idea of “inside”.
| Kei roto |
i te whare |
ngā tāngata. |
| inside |
at the house |
the people |
| The people are in the house. |
“waho” conveys the idea of “outside”.
| Kei waho |
i te whare |
ngā tāngata. |
| outside |
at the house |
the people |
| The people are outside the house. |
“waenganui” or just “waenga” conveys the idea of “in the middle” or “in between”.
| Kei waenganui |
o te whare |
me te rori |
te ara. |
| between |
of the house |
and the road |
the path |
| The path is between the house and the road. |
| waenganui pō |
| the middle of the night |
“taha” can mean “beside”.
| Kei te taha |
o te pēke |
te pōtae. |
| beside |
of the bag |
the hat |
| The hat is beside the bag. |
| I noho |
rātou |
i te taha |
o te ahi. |
| sat |
they |
beside |
of the fire |
| They sat beside the fire. |
| They sat around the fire. |
“tua” can mean “on the other side”.
| Kei tua |
o te maunga |
ngā hipi. |
| on the other side |
of the mountain |
the sheep |
| The sheep are on the other side of the mountain. |
Adding “nei” makes it mean “this side”.
| Kei tua nei |
o te maunga |
ngā hipi. |
| on this side |
of the mountain |
the sheep |
| The sheep are on this side of the mountain. |
“mua” conveys the idea of “before”.
| Kei mua |
i te rākau |
te tohu. |
| before |
at the tree |
the sign |
| The sign is before the tree. |
| The sign is in front of the tree. |
“muri” conveys the idea of “after”.
| Kei muri |
i te rākau |
te tohu. |
| after |
at the tree |
the sign |
| The sign is after the tree. |
| The sign is behind the tree. |
| ā muri atu |
| ā muri ake nei |
| in the future |
The subject can also go between the two parts of the location.
| Kei raro |
ngā putiputi |
i te rākau. |
| under |
the flowers |
at the tree |
| The flowers are under the tree. |
