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Learn how to say because in Tahitian

Because in Tahitian – Causality – E aha, no te aha, no te, no te mea

In this lesson, we will learn how to say why in Tahitian, to answer it with for or because in Tahitian. And also, to say since, that is for.

Causality in Tahitian

In short, if you have just one chart to take away from this lesson, here it is.

Function Grammatical construction
Why ? E AHA + SUBJECT + I / E + VERB + AI?
Why ? NO TE AHA + SUBJECT + I / E + VERB + AI?
For NO TE + VERB-RAA
Because NO TE MEA, E + VERB + SUBJECT + COMPLEMENT
Since, as I TE MEA E, E + VERB + SUBJECT + COMPLEMENT
That’s why NO REIRA + SUBJECT + I / E + VERB + AI

Why

In this second chapter, let’s detail what and why in Tahitian. We already know them since the lesson: Interrogative pronouns in Tahitian – Who, what, where…

In Tahitian language, to ask about a cause, we use what and why.

In English, we use expressions such as:

  • What happened to him…?
  • Why did he …?

We find the same construction in Tahitian.

Tahitian English
What? E aha?
Why ? No te aha?

Now let’s learn how to build an interrogative sentence using these 2 interrogative pronouns.

Function Grammatical construction
Why ? E AHA + SUBJECT + I / E + VERB + AI
Why ? NO TE AHA + SUBJECT + I / E + VERB + AI

We notice :

  • the use of the particle No. In this use, No carries a new role:
Particle Detail
No Particle to indicate an origin

  • What origin?
  • Which location?
  • What starting point?

Particle to introduce the motivation behind an act. It corresponds to “for” or “in order to”. In sentence construction, No is always followed by Te:

  • No + te + verb

Particle to indicate a cause and effect link

  • the use of the particle i or e which is linked to the relative construction. We will see the details in the next lesson on the relatives.
  • the use of ai

Ai

Be careful, ai is not a particle.

Keyword
Detail
Ai It refers to:

  • a moment
  • a place
  • or a cause

which was mentioned earlier in the sentence.

It is found in interrogative sentences and certain complements.

We can translate it by where in some cases, in other cases it does not translate.

Let’s illustrate with examples:

English Tahitian
To the place where Mere went I te vāhi ‘o Mere i haere ai
At the time when Mere left I te taime ‘o Mere e reva ai

The new vocabulary is as follows:

Tahitian English
Te vāhi The place, the location, to split, to cut in half

The already known vocabulary is as follows. It appears in green in the text:

Tahitian English
Haere To go, to come, to evolve, to become
Reva To leave
Te taime The time (from the English, time)

Examples

Let’s go back to our learning of the why:

English Tahitian
Why are you leaving? No te aha ‘oe e reva ai ?
Why is this difficult? E aha ‘oe i fifi ai ?

The already known vocabulary is as follows. It appears in green in the text:

Tahitian English
Fifi Difficult, problematic

Also means: problem, chain

For and because in Tahitian

In this third chapter, we will focus on answering the question why with for and because in Tahitian.

There are 2 ways:

Function Grammatical construction
For NO TE + VERB-RAA
Because NO TE MEA, E + VERB + SUBJECT + COMPLEMENT

Let’s illustrate with examples:

English Tahitian
Why are you leaving? No te aha ‘oe e reva ai ?
To get back home No te ho’iraa i te fare
Because I’m coming home for dinner No te mea, e ho’i vau i te fare no te tāmāaraa

The already known vocabulary is as follows. It appears in green in the text:

Tahitian English
Ho’i To come back, to return
Te fare The house
Tāmāa To have a meal, a lunch, a dinner

Since, that’s why

In this fourth chapter, let’s continue with since and that’s why in Tahitian.

Function Grammatical construction
Since, as I TE MEA E, E + VERB + SUBJECT + COMPLEMENT
That’s why NO REIRA + SUBJECT + I / E + VERB + AI

Let’s illustrate with examples:

English Tahitian
As you live in Papeete, I ask you to drive me. I te mea e, e noho ‘oe i Papeete. E ani atu vau ia ‘oe ia faahoro ia’u.
You live in Papeete. This is why I ask you to driveme. E noho ‘oe i Papeete. No reira vau e ani atu ai ia ‘oe ia faahoro ia’u.

The already known vocabulary is as follows. It appears in green in the text:

Tahitian English
Noho To live
Ani To ask
Faahoro To drive

And the rest?

With this lesson we have just learned how to express causality. And also, we learned 21 vocabulary words and expressions.