Exercise Eight

Saying ‘when’ using ka

You have previously learnt that ka can be used before verbs to indicate the future tense, although it can also be used for sentences indicating the past. When ka is used at the start of two clauses in a sentence it is often translated in English as ‘when’.

Hei tauira:

Ka tae mai te manuhiri ki waho i te kēti, ka karanga atu te kuia.When the visitors arrived outside the gate, the elderly lady called.
Ka mutu te kura, ka tangi te pere.When school is finished, the bell will ring.
Ka mutu te karakia, ka kai rātou katoa.When the prayer finished, they all ate.

Ka is frequently used in narrative where it merely shows a change of action. There may be a series of phrases or sentences beginning with ka.

Hei tauira:

Ka tae mai te manuhiri, ka karangatia, ka whakaeke mai rātou ki runga i te marae ātea.When the visitors arrive, they are called, they will enter onto the marae ātea.
Ka haere ngā tamariki ki te kura, ka pau i a rātou ā rātou kai, ka tākaro rātou i te papa tākaro.The children go to school, they consume their food, and play in the play ground.

For further explanations and examples see Te Kākano pp.129-130.


Whakapākehātia ēnei rerenga kōrero.

Kei wareware i a koe ngā piko, ngā tohu pātai, ngā ira kati me ngā tohutō i ngā wāhi e tika ana.

Ka haere ngā tamariki ki te hōpua, ka kaukau rātou.

Ka tae mai taku taina, ka harikoa taku māmā.

Ka oti te mahi tuhituhi, ka haere tāua ki te pāpara kāuta.

Ka tipu te rākau, ka whāngaia e te wai.

Ka noho ngā tāngata, ka tū te minita ki te kōrero.

Ka puta mai te kēhua, ka oma atu ngā tamariki.

Ka haere te whānau ki tātahi, ka hanga mātou i tētahi whare one.

Ka wehe ngā tamariki i te kura, ka hoki rātou ki te kāinga, ka kai, ka tākaro.

Ka haere a Te Amorangi mā ki te whare pikitia, ka hoko wai reka.

Ka tuhi ia i te reta, ka hoatu ki a Pita, ka hoki ia ki te kāinga.