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#84: Why is the baby sleeping?

he aha te take e ____ ana ____?
That's the reason... — Koirā te take... Why is, what is the reason? — He aha te take... e... ana
He aha te take e … ana? is a common way to ask “why?” in present-tense situations. He aha means “what,” te take means “the reason,” and the clause e … ana describes the action. The structure asks for the reason something is happening now.

Video

Vocabulary

ā • āe • ahau • āhua • ake • ake, ake, ake • āku • āna • ātaahua • atu • au • āwangawanga • e hoa mā • e tū • engari • haere mā raro • haunga • hiahia • hiainu • hiakai • hiamoe • hīkoi • hoa • hōhā • hōiho • hou • i • ia • iho • iti • ka • kaha • 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

That's the reason... — Koirā te take... Why is, what is the reason? — He aha te take... e... ana
← #83: Why are the children laughing?
All Lessons
#85: Which is the right road? →