Ngā Tohutohu
Three different uses of kei have already been encountered, including its use to indicate present location. A related use of this particle is to indicate who has something. Kei is used for present possession of something but it does not indicate actual ownership.
Hei tauira:
| Kei a wai taku pene? |
Who has my pen? |
| Kei a Mīria tāu pene. |
Mīria has your pen. |
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| Kei a wai te kapu a Eruera? |
Who has Edward's cup? |
| Kei a Tarati. Kei a ia te kapu a Eruera. |
Tarati has it. She has Edward's cup. |
Note that people’s names, the interrogative wai? (who?) and personal pronouns all need to be proceeded by a when following kei. A noun must have a possessive determiner or a word such as te, ngā, tēnei, etc. to precede it when following kei.
For further explanations and exercises: Te Kākano pp. 82-83; Te Kākano Pukapuka Tātaki pp. 51-52; Te Kākano CDs Mahi 70 & 71.
Whakamāoritia ēnei rerenga kōrero.
Whiriwhiria te whakapākehātanga e tika ana mō ia rerenga kōrero.
