Why & Because

He aha ai?/He aha...i...ai? - Asking why something happened? Past Tense

E.g. He aha tō māmā i haere ai? / Why did your mum go?

He aha koutou i mahi pērā ai? / Why did you behave like that?

Hei mahi:

1. Follow this link and read the notes on how to ask why something happened - past tense. Notice how 'i' is used with 'he aha ai' to indicate that the event happened in the past. If an 'i' has been used, it indicates that the event occurred in the past.
2. Copy the notes as well as the examples into your book. Add to your notes the following structure breakdown: 'He aha + who + i + action + ai?'
3. Compete the activity below the notes on the webpage. Once you have correctly completed all sentences, copy 3 of them into your book as examples.
4. Using your current focus topic, write 6 'he aha...i...ai?' questions in your book. Include the English translations.

He aha...e....ai....? - Asking why something will be done Future Tense

E.g. He aha a Pita e haere ai ki te toa? / Why will Peter go to the shop?

He aha koe e hanga ai i tētahi whare? / Why will you build a house?

Hei mahi:

1. Using the Te Māhuri textbook, read the notes on page 44 on how to use 'he aha...e....ai...' to ask why something will be done - future tense.
2. Write notes from the textbook into your book, and include the following sentence structure breakdown: 'he aha + who + e + action + ai + location (if there is one)
3. Take note of the fact that this structure is the same as the previous structure, except it uses an 'e' in place of the 'i' to indicate future tense.
4. Follow this link, and read through more notes on this structure. Copy 4 examples (from the website and/or textbook) into your book.
5. Complete the whakakore sentence activity (located under the notes on the website from task 1), then copy 3 of the completed whakakore sentences into your book.

He aha....i kore ai e...... - Why didn't something happen?

E.g. He aha koe i kore ai e pōti? / Why didn’t you vote?

He aha kōrua i kore ai e hoki ki te kāinga? / Why didn’t you two go home?

Hei mahi:

1. Follow this link, and read the notes on how to use this structure to ask why something didn't happen.
2. Copy the notes and the 2 examples from the page, into your book. Add to your notes this structure breakdown: 'He aha + who + i kore ai e + action'
3. Complete the whakakore activity below the notes. Once you have correct whakakore sentences for each sentence, chose 5, and write them into your book with the other examples.
4. Using your current focus topic, write 6 x 'he aha...i kore ai e....' sentences in your book. Include the English translations as well.

Notes: Te Pihinga pg 22.

Nā te aha....ai? - Why something happened? (alternative structure)

E.g. Nā te aha koe i ngēngē ai? / Why are you tired?

Nā te pūrei netipaoro au i ngēngē ai / I'm tired because I was playing netball

Hei Mahi:

1. Using the Te Māhuri textbook, look at the notes and examples on page 43 on how to ask why something happened using 'nā te aha?'
2. The notes (in Māori) on page 43 are explaining that instead of using 'he aha' at the start of a 'why' sentence (that includes 'ai'), you can also use 'nā te aha....ai'. This structure is used in the same way, to ask why something happened. Write notes on this in your book (you can just use my notes above), then copy 4 of the examples of how to ask and answer these questions (include the English translations) into your book. Take note of the fact that to answer these questions, you just remove the 'aha' and add the answer phrase - the remainder of the structure will stay the same.
3. Follow this link, and read through the notes on 'nā te aha....ai' questions and answers. The text in Māori is explaining that the only difference between the sentences in Tauira 1 and Tauira 2, is that 'nā te' is used at the start of the sentences, instead of 'he'. The meaning is the same, regardless of which structure you use.
4. On the web page, complete the translation task below the notes. For this task, you need to reorder the words, so the sentence makes sense. If you cannot get the answer correct, click the 'check answer' button multiple times, and the answer will appear.
5. In your book, write 5 x 'nā te aha' questions and answers, using the context of a pōwhiri.
6. Get into groups of 3-4 people, and collect a mini whiteboard set each. You will take turns at writing one of your ANSWERS on your whiteboard, and showing it to your group. Your group will then need to write on their whiteboard, what they think is the the correct question - to your answer (you will have the question and answer structure in your book to refer to for marking). Once your group has written what they think the correct questions is, they will show you their whiteboards. Each person gets 1 point if they get the question right on their first attempt. Keep going around your group until you have completed this task for each of your 5 sentences. The person with the most points at the end, gets a prize.

Extra notes: Te Māhuri, pg 43.

Nā te aha....i kore ai e.... - Asking why something didn't happen (alternative structure)

E.g. Nā te aha koe i kore ai e oti āu mahi? / Why didn’t you complete your work?

Nā taku hiahia ki te purei kēmu / Because I wanted to play games.

Hei Mahi:

1. This lesson will be looking at the alternative way to ask why something didn't happen. Once again, this structure is the same format as the 'he aha...i kore ai e...' structure, but it starts with 'nā te aha' instead. Write notes on this slight difference in your book (copy in your own words what I have written above).
2. Using pages 43-44 (starts bottom of page 43) of the Te Māhuri textbook (or this link if you don't have a textbook), read through the examples of this structure. Pay attention to the structure of the question and answer, and how for the answer sentence, you just remove the 'aha' and replace it with the answer.
3. Copy 4 of the examples into you book (English and Māori).
4. Follow this link and complete the translation tasks below the notes. Copy 3 of the completed translations from this task into your book, and translate them.
5. In pairs, chose a movie that you have both seen. Then, individually, write 6 x 'nā te aha' questions about things that happened in that movie. Using a mini whiteboard each, write one of your questions on your board, then put both of your boards in front of you, so you can both see them. Then, write your partners question in your book, and answer it. Once you have both written your answers, check them with each other to see if your answers are correct, and check that the answer structures are correct. Now, erase that question, and write your next question (for each other) on your boards. Continue this until you have answered all 6 of each others questions.