The compound prepositions are those which, like the composite of Hebrew, require one or more of the simple to set forth their meaning. They are as follows:
- Runga, upon or above.
- Raro, beneath.
- Mua, before.
- Muri, behind.
- Roto, or ro, inside.
- Waho, outside.
- Tua, other side.
- Pahaki, other side, or this side of, (used in describing the position of an object.)
- Tai, idem.
- Waenga, midst of.
- Tata, near.
- Tawhiti, far off.
The meaning and uses, however, of the above, both simple, and compound, are exceedingly various; and the attention of the student is therefore requested to the following notices respecting them.[16]
E, by (applied to the agent, not the instrument) is always prefixed to the agent when a passive verb precedes; e. g.,
- Kua kainga e te kuri, was devoured by the dog.
- Kua kitea e Hone, was seen by John.
- Kua patua te ngaru e te ua, the waves were beaten down by the rain.
When neuter[17] verbs assume the passive form the agent follows, as in regular transitive verbs, and is preceded by e; e. g.
- Katahi ano a kona ka takotoria e te tupeka, now for the first time has that place been laid upon by tobacco—now for the first time has tobacco lain there.
- Kangia e te ahi, kindled upon by the fire, i. e. having a fire kindled (there).
Verbal nouns, and verbs preceded by such words as hohoro, oti, ahei, hei, pau, taea, taihoa, taria, &c., will take e after them; e. g.
- Ngaunga e te ra, a scorching by the sun.
- Kua oti te patu e au, the killing has been finished by me; i. e. I have killed (it).
- E kore e ahei te hapai e ahau, the lifting cannot be accomplished by me, i. e., I cannot lift (it).
The following, also, are instances in which e is found after the active verb—after a verb, at least, active in form.