āe
/ˈaːe/
In Maori, "yes" is expressed as āe. Wiktionary also lists ae.
Meaning: word used to indicate agreement or acceptance (particle)
Ways to say it
| Maori | IPA |
|---|---|
| āe | /ˈaːe/ |
| ae |
The word is a particle used to indicate agreement or acceptance, specifically to answer "yes" to yes/no questions.
Which one should you use?
The forms āe and ae are both provided.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle āe is used to provide a positive response to yes/no questions.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈaːe/
Did you know?
- In Maori, repeating the word as āe, āe does not simply mean 'yes, yes' for emphasis, but can function as a way to signal that you are actively following a speaker's train of thought.
- To avoid appearing rude or blunt to an elder, one should rarely use a solitary āe, but should instead wrap the agreement in respectful terms.
- The particle āe is part of the 'Proto-Nuclear Polynesian' family, meaning it is a distant linguistic cousin to the word for 'yes' in many distant island nations across the Pacific.
Examples in context
- Āe, ka taea e au te haere.Yes, I can go.
- Āe, he pai tēnā.Yes, that is good.
- Āe, kua oti te mahi.Yes, the work is finished.
Example conversation
Kahu and Wiremu are talking about getting food.
- KahuKei te hunga koe?Are you hungry?
- WiremuĀe, kei te hunga au.Yes, I am hungry.
- KahuKa haere tāua ki te toa kai?Shall we go to the food shop?
- WiremuĀe, ka haere tāua.Yes, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations and entries āe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries āe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
