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.