#119: The stink is pleasant to the flies
He pai ki a au...
I don't like... — Ehara... i te pai...
I like... — He pai ki a au...
In te reo Māori, ki can express personal feeling or preference using the pattern he pai … ki a …, meaning something is “good to” someone, or simply “someone likes something.” For example, He pai te waiata ki a au means “I like the song.” This structure can be used with people, things, or places. It can be negated with kāore e pai ki a… (“does not like”). The order can vary slightly, but the meaning remains the same. This pattern differs from possession sentences such as He pai tāku kawhe (“My coffee is good”).