On-line Te Reo Māori Dictionary

Ko wai kei te waiata i te waiata?
Who is singing the song?
Asking who - Ko wai...?

Kei te waiata a Tame.
Tame is singing.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

Kei te ako au i tētehi waiata.
I am learning a song.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

Kei te ako au i ētehi waiata.
I am learning some songs.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

Kei te waiata te kapa haka.
The haka group is singing.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

Kei te waiata a Jerome.
Jerome is singing.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

Kei te waiata rāua.
Those two are singing.
Simple sentences: present tense with a verb - kei te

E waiata ana māua i te hui.
We (me and one other person) are singing at the gathering.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E waiata ana ngā tamariki.
The children are (or were) singing.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

E waiata ana rātou.
They are singing.
Simple sentences: present tense - e... ana

I waiata rāua i te hui?
Kāore rāua i waiata i te hui?
Simple sentences: past tense - i

I te whakarongo mātou ki te waiata i te rā whānau.
We were listening to the song at the birthday.
Simple sentences: past tense - i te

Ka waiata te kapa haka i te hui.
The haka group will sing at the gathering.
Simple sentences: past tense - i te

Kua ako a Mere i te waiata.
Mere has learnt the song.
Simple sentences: past completed tense - kua

Kua rongo koe i te waiata hou?
Have you heard the new song?
Simple sentences: past completed tense - kua

Me waiata tāua?
Shall we sing a song?
Simple sentences: you should - me

Me waiata a Mere.
Mere should sing.
Simple sentences: you should - me

He makawe whero te wahine e waiata ana.
The woman singing has red hair.
Sentences with a subclause - e... ana

He makawe pākākā ō te wahine e waiata ana.
The woman singing has brown hair.
Sentences with a subclause - e... ana

Waiata ai ngā manu i ngā ata.
The birds usually sing in the mornings.
Habitual action - ai

Pēnei ia ka waiata koe.
He thought you would sing.
I thought mistakenly - Pēnei au...

Ki a koutou te waiata.
You (3+) will sing the song.
Who is going to... - Ki a wai te...?

Rite tonu ia ki a Tui Teka ki te waiata.
He sings just like Tui Teka.
This is just like that - he rite tonu

Nā te kōtiro i waiata i te waiata.
It was the girl who sang the song.
Past agent emphatic - nā - agent emphatic

Nā taua rōpū ngā waiata tino reka.
That group did the sweetest singing.
Past agent emphatic - nā - agent emphatic

Māku te waiata e waiata hei tautoko.
I will sing the song as support.
Future agent emphatic - māku, mā... e..., mā... hei

Mā Bob te waiata e tīmata.
Bob will start the song.
Future agent emphatic - māku, mā... e..., mā... hei

Māku te waiata tautoko e waiata.
I will sing the song of support.
Future agent emphatic - māku, mā... e..., mā... hei

Mā mātou tō waiata e waiata.
We will song your song.
Future agent emphatic - māku, mā... e..., mā... hei

Waiata ki ngā manuhiri.
Sing to the guests.
Commands without e or the passive - Homai! Whakarongo!

Waiata!
Sing!
Commands without e or the passive - Homai! Whakarongo!

Kaua e waiata ki ngā manuhiri.
Don’t sing to the guests.
Negative active commands - Don't! - Kaua e..., kāti...

Kaua e waiatahia he waiata ngahau.
You should not sing a joyful song.
Negations of 'me' - We shouldn't... - Kaua... (passive) e...

Kaua a Mere e waiata.
Mere shouldn't sing.
Negations of 'me' - We shouldn't... - Kaua... (passive) e...

Kei te whakatangi rakuraku ia me te waiata anō i te whare.
He is playing the guitar and singing in the house.
While at the same time/and in addition - me te... anō

Kua waiatatia te waiata e māua.
The song has been sung by us.
Passive sentences - tikina...

Kei te waiata mātou.
We are singing.
Passive sentences - tikina...

E waiatatia ana ngā waiata e ngā tauira.
The songs are being sung by the students.
Passive sentences - tikina...

Kua waiatatia te waiata e ngā tauira.
The song was sung by the students.
Passive sentences - tikina...

I titoa te waiata nei e Jeff Simmonds.
This song was composed by Jeff Simmonds.
Passive sentences - tikina...

E haere waiata ana rātou.
They were walking along singing.
Gerund phrases (fence building, bread baking, dishes washing...) - tunu parāoa...

Haere atu ki kō waiata ai.
Go over there to sing.
The reason for an action - ...ai.

Kāore anō koe kia rongo i te waiata hou?
Haven't you heard the new song yet?
Negations of kua (I haven't yet...) - Kāore ano... kia...

Kāore te kapa haka i te waiata.
The haka group is not singing.
Negations of the past and present tense (I was not working, I am not working) - Kāore... i te...

Kāore au i te mōhio he aha he waiata māku.
I don't know what to sing.
Negations of the past and present tense (I was not working, I am not working) - Kāore... i te...

Kāore ia e mōhio ki te waiata.
He doesn't know how to sing.
Negations of the future (I will not go) - Kāore... e...

Kāore te kapa haka e waiata i te hui.
The haka group will not sing at the gathering.
Negations of the future (I will not go) - Kāore... e...

Kāore māua e waiata ana i te hui.
We are not singing at the gathering.
Negations of e... ana... sentences - kāore... e... ana...

Kāore te waiata i waiatatia e ngā tauira.
The song was not sung by the students.
Negating passive sentences - Kāore... e...

He pai tēnā waiata.
That's a good song.
That (near you) - tēnā, te... nā

Kāore mātou i te whakarongo ki te waiata i te rā whānau.
We were not listening to the song at the birthday.
Describing how an action is done - I tere tā mātou haere; He pai tana mahi

No Ngāti Kahngunu tēnei waiata.
This song belongs to Ngāti Kahungunu.
Words that can be 'a' or 'o' categories - o, a

Na Ngāti Kahngunu tēnei waiata.
This song is sing by Ngāti Kahungunu.
Words that can be 'a' or 'o' categories - o, a

Ka waiata koe pērā i a Tui Teka.
You sing like Tui Teka.
Like this, like that - pēnei, pēna, pēra

Tō tau hoki ki te waiata!
How excellent you are at singing!
*How... - Te... hoki...

Ehara i te kōtiro te waiata i waiata.
The girl didn’t sing the song.
Negating the past agent emphatic - ehara i...

Kātahi te reo reka ki te waiata!
What an awesome singing voice!
What a... - kātahi te...

I a rātou e waiata ana i tā rātou waiata ka whakarite kai ngā ringawera mā rātou.
While they were singing their song, the cooks prepared food for them.
While... - i... e... ana, ka...

I tō rātou pēne e waiata ana, ka inu mātou i ngā inu kore utu!
While the band sang, we drank free drinks!
While... - i... e... ana, ka...

I waiata au i tētahi waiata kia wareware ai aku raruraru.
I sang a song in order to forget my troubles.
In order to - kia... ai

I waiata au i tētahi waiata kia kore ai au e wareware i aku raruraru.
I sang a song in order to not forget my troubles.
In order not to... - kia... kore ai

Kei waiata koe!
Don't sing!
Kei... - Don't...

Ka waiatatia tēnei, tērā waiata rānei e tātou?
Will we sing this song or that song?
Or... - ...rānei

Ko wai kāore i te waiata i te waiata?
Who isn’t singing the song?
Who didn't? - Ko wai kāore...

Koia te waiata i waiata ai ia.
That is the song which he sang.

E waiata ana te tangata rā.
That man is singing.

I waiata ia i taua waiata.
He sang that song.

I muri tata mai i te waiata tira, ko te whakaeke.
Straight after the waiata tira comes the whakaeke.

He aha rātou i waiata ai i tērā waiata?
Why did they sing that song?

Nōna e taitama ana he aha ngā momo waiata ki runga i ngā marae?
What kind of sobgs were sung on the marae when she was young?

E waiata ana ngā kōtiro
The girls are singing (statement)

He aha te waiata e waiatatia ana e te kaumātua
What is the waiata (which is) being sung by the kaumātua?

Ka waiata Tēnei wahine
This woman near me will sing

Ka waiata Tēnā wahine
That woman near you will sing g

Waiata ai au.
I always sing.

Ka waiata Tērā wahine
That woman over there will sing

I waiata ai ai.
I always used to sing.

Ka rongo ahau i tētahi waiata pai i tēnei rā.
I heard a nice song today.

Ka waiata ai au.
I am always sing.

E waiata ai au.
I am always singing.

He waiata pai tērā.
That’s a nice song.

E waiata a Mere ki te rūma.
Mere will sing at the room.

whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
listen to this song!

Āe, e mōhio ana ahau ki tētahi waiata Māori.
Yes, I know a certain Māori waiata.

He aha rātou e waiata ai?
Why will they sing?

He aha rātou e waiata nei?
Why are they singing?

Kei te waiata te wahine.
The woman is singing.

I te waiata te wahine.
The woman was singing.

E waiata ana te wahine.
The woman is singing.

Kei te whakarongo au ki te wahine e waiata ana.
I am listening to the woman who is singing.

Kei te waiata ia i te waiata.
She is singing the song.

Ko ētahi o ā rātou waiata nā rātou tonu i tito (Kāretu 1974:108)
Some of their songs they composed themselves

He nui āna waiata i tito ai ..
There are many songs that he composed ..

Kāore te kaiako i te waiata.
The teacher was not singing.

He pai rātou ko tana hoa ki te waiata.
She and her friend are good singers.

Waiata ai ia.
She regularly sings.

Kāore ngā kaiako i te waiata.
The teachers were not singing.

I waiata ahau, kātahi ka kanikani ahau.
I sang, and then I danced.

I waiata ahau, ka kanikani ai ahau.
I sang, and then, following on from that, I danced.

Kei te waiata ngā tamariki.
The children are singing.

I te waiata ngā tamariki.
She were singing.

I waiata ngā tamariki.
The children sang.

Kua waiata ngā kōtiro ki a mātou.
The girls have sung to us.

Kei te waiata ia.
At the moment, she is singing.

Rite tonu tērā kaiwaiata ki te manu tioriori ki te waiata.
That singer is just like a songbird at singing.

Waiata ai te iwi o Waikato i ngā whiti e rua. (1991:114)
The people of Waikato usually sing both verses.

Ko te mea nui i nāianei, kei ora ana ngā tāngata mōhio ki ngā waiata, ko te kohikohi haere i ngā māramatanga kei a rātau
The main thing now, while the people who know the songs are still alive, is to go round collecting the explanations they have

Nā te kite a ngā kaitito waiata i tēnei āhuatanga ..
Because the composers see these things ..

Taihoa tātou e waiata.
Let's not sing just yet,

I rawe te rōpū waiata!
The band was excellent!

Tokowhitu ngā wāhine e waiata ana.
There are seven women singing

I tino rawe te rōpū waiata!
The band was really excellent!

Kei te waiata a Peter, rātou ko Paul ko Mary.
Peter, Paul and Mary are singing.

E hia ngā waiata e mōhio ana koe?
How many songs do you know?

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

E hia ngā waiata e mōhio nā koe?
How many songs do you know?

Waiata ai ngā manu i ngā ata.
The birds usually sing in the mornings. (Kupu)

E ono ngā manu e waiata ana.
Six birds are singing.

I kite rātou i ngā kōtiro e waiata ana, e kata ana.
They saw the girls (who were) singing and laughing.

Kāore anō a Mereana kia waiata?
Hasn’t Mereana sung yet?

Waiata ā-ringa.
Sing with hands.

Ke mea mai ia, ka pai tana kaiako ki te waiata.
He says that his teacher is good at singing.

He mea waiata.
It was sung.

He mea waiata te waiata hou.
The new song was sung.

Kei te waiata ngā tamariki ono rau rua tekau mā whitu i te kura.
And we don't need an e.

Kei te waiata a Rob rāua ko Lily
Rob and Lily are singing. Becomes;

I waiata rāua tētahi ki tētahi.
They sang to each other (one to another).

He ringa rehe a Moana ki te mahi māra, ki te purei rakuraku hiko, ka mutu, he rōreka ki te waiata.
Moana is a dab hand at gardening, playing electric guitar, and she loves to sing.

He mea waiata te waiata hou e ngā tamariki.
The new song was sung by the children.

Kei te waiata koa rātou.
They are singing joyfully.

E waiata tika ana ia i ngā kupu.
She is correctly singing the words.

I waiata a Hata moo wai?
Who did Hata sing about?

Kei te waiata ahau, ka kanikani ai a Mere.
I sang and then Mere danced.

I waiata ahau, kia kanikani ai a Mere.
I sang so that Mere would dance.

Kei te waiata ahau, kia kanikani ai a Mere.
I am singing so that Mere willdance.

Ko tēnei te waiata.
This is the song.

Ka waiata ahau, kia kanikani ai a Mere.
I will sing so that Mere will dance.

Ko ēnei ngā waiata.
These are the songs.

I waiata rātou.
They sang.

He waiata pai tēnei.
This is a nice song.

Nāna te waiata i titoa ai.
She was the reason the song was written.

Kaua e whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Don’t listen to this song!

Kei te whakarongo ahau ki te wahine e waiata ana.
I am listening to the woman who is singing.

Kei te waiata tonu a Mere.
Mere is still singing.

Ka pai te waiata a aua kōtiro.
Those girls sang well.

Kei te whakarongo ahau ki te wahine waiata.
I am listening to the singing woman.

Waiata tonu a Mere.
Right away, Mere sang.

Waiata ai ia i ngā ata.
She usually sings in the mornings.

He waiata poi tēnei.
This is a poi song.

Tito waiata.
Compose songs.

Āwhea a Koa ako waiata tawhito ai?
When will Koa learn ancient songs?

Kei roto i te whare ngā kōtiro i waiata ki ngā manuhiri.
The girls who sang to the guests are in the house.

Māna tēnei waiata e tito ai.
She is the reason why the song will be written.

Kua rongo koe i te manu e waiata ana i te ata?
Have you heard the bird that is singing in the morning?

Ā muri i ia whaikōrero ka tū ngā tāngata ki te tautoko i te kaikōrero ki tētahi waiata.
After each speech the people will stand to support the speaker with a song.

I waiata anake a Rangi i tētahi waiata.
Rangi only sang one song. (i.e., he sang it but didn't play, dance, or compose it)

Ko Rangi anake i waiata i tētahi waiata.
Only Rangi sang one song. (i.e., nobody else sang)

I waiata a Rangi i tētahi waiata anake.
Rangi sang only one song. (i.e., one song, not two or more)

Kua kohia e ia ētahi waiata tawhito.
Some ancient songs have been collected by him.

He pehea a Pāora ki te waiata?
What's Pāora like at singing?

Kāti te waiata!
No singing (cease singing)!

He reka ia ki te waiata.
She's sweet at singing.

Kei a koe mō te waiata.
You're a great singer.

I waiata a Kiri ki ā wai?
Exercise 21b

Kei te waiata anō a Mere.
Mere is singing again.

Ka waiata māua
we (my companion and I [but not you])

Ka waiata mātou
we (my companions and I

Ka waiatatia ngā waiata e ngā kōtiro o te kura.
The songs will be sung by the girls from the school.

Ka waiata pea a Mere.
Perhaps Mere will sing.

Kua waiata te kōtiro
the girl has sung

E waiata ana te kōtiro
the girl is singing

I waiata te kōtiro
the girl sang

He ātaahua tō waiata.
Your song was beautiful.

Ka waiata te kōtiro
the girl will sing

Me waiata te kōtiro
the girl had better sing

He waiata pai pēnei.
This is a nice song.

Kua waiata a Mereana
Mereana has sung

Kei.te tito a Moana i te waiata.
Moana is writing the song.

I haere ia ki te whakarongo ki te rōpu waiata.
He went to listen to the choir.

I waiata ahau, kātahi ka kaniani ahau.
I sang, and then I danced.

I waiata ahau, ka kanikani ai ahau,
I sang, and then I danced.

Ka pai → te waiata a aua kōtiro.
Those girls sang well.

Kei.te tito waiata a Moana.
Moana is song writing.

Ka taea e Hine te waiata.
Hine can sing.

He waiata teenei mo Paapaka.
This is a song concerning Paapaka.

Māna e waiata.
He/she will be the one to sing.

Ko wai te wahine e waiata ana?
Who is that woman singing?

I tino rawe rawa atu te rōpū waiata!
The band was out of this world!

Ko Mere te wahine e waiata a a
Mere is the one who is singing

Me waiata pēnei koe: Hari huritau ki a koe!
You should sing like this: happy birthday to you!

E waiata ana ngā tamariki i ngā waiata.
The children are singing the songs.

Mā Rangi rāua ko Mere e waiata.
Rangi and Mere will be the ones to sing.

Kua waiata a Kiri
Kiri has sung (active); completed action.

Ehara māna e waiata.
He/she will not be the one to sing.

Ka waiata koe pērā i a Ed Sheeran.
You sing like Ed Sheeran.

Ka waiata te kōaea
The choir will sing (active); change of action from what has happened before.

Ehara mā Rangi rāua ko Mere e waiata.
Rangi and Mere will not be the ones to sing.

Kua waiata rātou.
They have sung.

Āwhea koe waiata ai?
When will you sing?

He pai rāua ko tana hoa ki te waiata.
She and her friend are good singers.

He ātaahua tāna waiata i tito ai.
The song that he composed is beautiful.

Kei te waiata a Mere.
Mere is singing.

He aha rātou i waiata pērā ai?
Why did they sing like that.

Nā wai tēnei waiata i tito?
Who composed this song?

Tuhi waiata.
Songwriting.

Me waiata ia.
She should sing.

Mā ngā tauira e waiata.
The students will sing.

E waiata ana a Mere.
Mary is singing.

I waiata ngā wāhine i te waiata.
The women sang the song.

E waiata ana rātou.
They are singing.

E waiata ana ia.
She was/is/will be singing.

Kāore e waiata ana ia.
She was not/is not/will not be singing.

Kaua e waiata!
(Don't sing!)

Kāore ia i te waiata.
She is not singing.

Ka taea e tō kuia te waiata?
Can your grandmother sing?

Kei te whakarongo au ki te wahine, engari, kāore ia i te waiata.
I am listening to the woman, but she is not singing.

Ka pai te waiata a ngā kōtiro.
The girls sing nicely.

Kei te waiata kōrua ko Pita.
You and Pita are singing.

Āe, ka taea e tōku kuia te waiata.
Yes, my grandmother can sing.

I te whakarongo au ki te wahine, engari, kāore ia i te waiata.
I was listening to the woman, but she was not singing.

Kei te waiata a Hine.
Hine is singing.

Ka tū ia i roto i te rūnanga, ka waiata i te waiata nei.
She stood up in the assembly and sang this song.

I te waiata ngā tamariki
The children were singing

I waiata nga tamariki
The children sang

Kei te waiatatia tonutia tēnei waiata.
This song is still sung today.

He koretake au ki te waiata.
I am useless at singing.

Nā ōku hoa te hīmene i waiata.
My friends sang the hymn.

I waiatatia kētia ngā waiata o ngā rā o mua.
The songs of days gone by were sung differently.

Ka waiata haere a Arapeta.
Arapeta sang as he walked (as he went along).

I tērā marama i waiata ia
Last month she sang

Ka whakarongo au ki te waiata ā tērā marama
I will listen to the song next month

Nā tātou te waiata i waiata.
We were the ones who sang the song.

Me haere tātou ki te rūma e waiata ai a Mere.
We had best go to the room will sing therein Mere.

Kei te waiata rātou.
They (3 or more) are singing.

E waiata ana ngā tamariki.
The children are singing.

E waiatatia tonutia ana tēnā waiata i ngā momo hui katoa.
That song is still sung at all kinds of meetings.

I tākaro ngā tamariki, ā, ka moe rātou, ā, ka waiata rātou, ā ka pānui rātou, ā, ka kōrero rātou
I am saying that children played and slept and sang and read and spoke

I tākaro ngā tamariki, ā, katahi ka waiata rātou, ā, kātahi ka pānui rātou, ā, katahi ka moe rātou
Then I am saying what happened, in order one thing after another.

I tū ake rātou ki te waiata.
They stood up to sing together as a group.

Ki te waiata koe, ka whakarongo ahau.
If you sing, I will listen.

Mauria mai taku pukapuka waiata.
Pass me my song book.

Ka whakarongo ahau, ki te waiata koe.
I will listen if you sing.

Ko ngā tamariki waiata ai i ngā kōnohete.
It is the children who usually sing at the concerts.

Ka waiata a Rangi i tētahi waiata
But if Rangi will sing some songs

Rua haora noa-atu-rā i waiata ai ngā tamariki.
The children sang two hours ago.

Kei te waiata te tane
If the men are singing

Ko ētahi o ā rātou waiata nā rātou tonu i tito.
Some of their songs they composed themselves. — 934

Kei te waiata ngā tāne
If a man is singing

He pai ētahi o āna waiata.
Some of his songs are good.

Kei te waiata tētahi tane
And if some men sre singing g

Kei te waiata ētahi tāne
If I am going to the shop

Whakarongo ki te tangata rā e waiata ana.
Listen to that man who is singing.