#134: I am unable to drive the car

Ka taea e, kāore e taea e

I am able... — Ka taea e... To be unable — Kāore... taea... Why won't... — He aha... e kore ai e...

In te reo Māori, "ka taea e" expresses ability (e.g., "Ka taea e au te tunu" – I can cook). Negation uses "kāore e taea e" for present/future ("can't") and "kāore i taea e" for past ("couldn't"). Examples: "Kāore e taea e au te pānui" (I can't read).

Video

Vocabulary

ā • āe • ahau • āhua • ake • ake, ake, ake • āku • āna • ātaahua • atu • au • āwangawanga • e hoa mā • e tū • ehara ehara • engari • haere mā raro • haunga • hiahia • hiainu • hiakai • hiamoe • hīkoi • hoa • hōhā • hōiho • hou • i • ia • iho • iti • ka • kaha • kāore • katoa • kau • keke • kēkē • ki • kia • Kia kaha! • kia ora • kino • ko wai • koe • koro • kōrua • koutou • kōwhai • kua • mā • mai • māua • māuiui • ngenge • noho • nui • ō • oma • ora • pai • pango • pēhea? • rā • rātau • rāua • rūma moe • taku • tama • tamaiti • tamariki • tana • tātou • tāua • tere • tino • tō • wāhine • waiata • whaea • whero

Grammar

I am able... — Ka taea e... To be unable — Kāore... taea... Why won't... — He aha... e kore ai e...

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#135: I am able to look after your children (but I'm not going to) →