A Maori Podcast

I - OMG 'i' has so many meanings


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Kia ora! Ai are! This was a long episode. Hopefully it wasnt too rambly.


I wanted to look into all the forms and meanings that the particle 'i' has but I quickly found that there are so so many. I did my best, to explain it, hopefully it makes sense.

[The Maori Comparative Dictionary, Edward Treager, pg.99]

I, a particle, used in forming indefinite past tenses or aorists: He aha te mea i haere mai ai koe ki a au ?—P. M., 61.


I, used transitively to connect an active verb with its object.

2. From: He tiki ahi mai ia koe—P. M., 26.

3. From the sight of.

4. At a distance from; wide of, or beyond.

5. In comparison of.

6. Than: A kua oti te hoatu e ia ki tou hoa e pai atu ana i a koe—1 Ham., xv. 28.

7. In complex prepositions, i raro i, &c.: I roto i o ratou whare korero—P. M., 83.

8. Following ehara, not: Ehara i te mea i whanau tangata mai—P. M., 59.

9. By reason of: I taua mate-kai hoki o muri iho—Ken., xli. 31: For want of.

10. By, after neuter verbs: Ka mate koe i au—P. M., 79: Ka pau hoki i a Tangaroa nga tamariki a Tane—P. M., 9.

11. With: E ki ana te whenua i te tutu i a ratou—Ken., vi. 13.

12. At (of place): Katahi ia ka noho i uta—P. M., 59.

13. Upon: Ka manu ia i te au o te moana—P. M., 130.

14. Along: Ka rongo ki te tokomaha o nga tangata kua mate i te haerenga i nga huarahi ma Tauhunui, ma Tuporo, me Tikitapu hoki—P. M., 147.

15. By way of: Ka haere i te Motunui, i te Kaweka, Urenui—P. M., 122.

16. Connected with the last; sometimes translated “of,” and sometimes redundant: No tua atu i Hawaiki—P. M., 71: Kia haere maua ki te tiki i a Takakopiri—P. M., 143.

17. In the act of (past time). In the state of.

18. At, in, by (in time): I te ata ka karanga atu a Tawhaki—P. M., 51.

19. In the time of; at the time that; whilst, during: I te kauanga mai i te po—P. M., 130: I-te-mea, when.

20. Possessing, belonging to (in past time): Ehara i a koe tenei kainga, noku ano—P. M., 81: Ko te kuri i a Te Paki—G.-8, 27.

21. In company with; led by.

22. In the opinion of.

23. Causing trouble to.

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A Maori PodcastBy Ihira