First Lessons in Maori
§ 79. Position of adverbs
§ 79. Position of adverbs.
—With the exceptions mentioned below, an adverb will always follow the word it is qualifying. If the word qualified be a verb in the Imperfect or Narrative Form the adverb mai may stand before or after the particle ana, but any other adverb must be placed before ana.
The following:—ata, gently, quite; mātua, first; and tino, very; are exceptions to the general rule, and always stand before the qualified words. A clause containing the adverb mātua is followed by the inceptive with ai.
He tangata tino pai, a very good man.
Kia matua kitea te toki, ka haere ai koe ki te ngahere, first let the axe be found, and then go to the wood.
He kino rawa tena, that is very bad.
Kihai i ata oti te mahi, the work was not quite finished.