Māori Grammar
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The family of n-class possessives is used to indicate established possession. This is different from simple ownership which uses t-class possessives (tāku, tōku, tāu, tōu, etc). They mean that someone owns something (I own a car). Words like nāku, nōku, nāu etc emphasise the ownership in a more emphatic way.
He pene tāku.
I own a pen.
Nāku tērā pene.
That pen belongs to me! It is my pen - not yours!
Such a sentence might be used in a dispute about ownership ("Hey! Get out of there! That's my car!") or in response to a mistake ("Hey! That's my coffee you are drinking!") or in response to a question.
There are a range of possible subjects in this sentence structure:
Nāku tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to me.
Nāu tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to you.
Nānā tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to him or her.
Nā tāua tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to you and me.
Nā māua tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to us two (not you).
Nā kōrua tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to you two.
Nā rāua tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to those two.
Nā tātou tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to us.
Nā mātou tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to us (not you).
Nā koutou tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to you (3+).
Nā rāutou tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to them (3+).
Nā Rangi tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to Rangi.
Nā Rangi rāua ko Mere tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to Rangi and Mere.
Nā te kaiako tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to the teacher.
Nā ngā tamariki tēnei pene.
This pen belongs to the children.
Like the t-class possessives, the n-class possessives also use the a and o categories:
Nāku tēnei pukapuka.
This is my book.
Nōku tēnei whare.
This is my house.
Nāu tēnā kai.
That is your food.
Nōu tēnā wai.
That is your water.
The n-class possessives denote established (past) ownership, while the related m-class possessives denote future unrealised possession:
Māku tēnei pene.
This pen is for me (or will be mine).
Nā ngā tamariki te papa tākaro.
The playground belongs to the children.Nōku tēnei whare.
This house is mine.Nāku ngā kura rā!
Those feathers belong to me!Nō te whānau tēnei whare.
This house belongs to the family.Nā Mere tēnei rāpeti.
This rabbit belongs to Mere.Nāku ngā kī.
The keys are mine.Nōku tēnei waka ātea.
This spaceship is mine.Nāku ērā pene.
Those pens belong to me.No Hawaiki tātou katoa.
We are all from Hawaiki.Na wai te waka whero?
Who does the red car belong to?Nā rātou ērā rīhi paru.
Those dirty dishes are theirs.Nō Hine tēnei whare.
This house belongs to Hine.Nā Pita tēnei kāmera.
This camera belongs to Pita.Nāku tēnei pukapuka.
This book belongs to me.No tōku tuahine ngā waka whero.
The red car belongs to my older sibling.Nāu tēnei kuri.
This dog belongs to you.No wai mā ēnei hū?
Who do these shoes belong to?Nāu tēnei rorohiko.
This computer belongs to you.Na Tame and Moana.
They are Tame's and Moana's.Nōku tēnei motoka.
This car is mine.Nā tātou ēnei hēki.
These eggs belong to us.Nā wai ēnei pene?
Who do these pens belong to?Nō te marae ēnei tūru.
These chairs belong to the marae.Nāku te rakuraku nā.
That guitar belongs to me.Nō Mere tēnei tūru.
This chair belongs to Mere.Nō Ngāti Awa a Niko.
Niko belongs to Ngāti Awa.Nā tō rāua māmā tēnei.
This belongs to their mother.Nā ngā tamariki ēnei pukapuka.
These books belong to the children.Nōku te whare iti.
The small house is mine.Nāku te moni nei.
This money is mine.Nōku te motopaika rā.
That motorbike over there is mine.Nō te whānau tēnei whenua.
This land belongs to the family.Nāku tēnei maika, nāu tēnei ārani, nāna tērā tōtiti.
This banana is mine, this orange is yours, that sausage is his.Nōku te koti nei.
This coat is mine.No ngā tāngata i roto i te whare nui.
They belong to all the people in the meeting house.Nāu tēnei kapu.
This cup belongs to you.Nā ngā tamariki tēnei tāwhiri.
This kite belongs to the children.Nāku tērā waea pūkoro.
Ehara i a au tērā waea pūkoro.Nā rāua ngā pukapuka e rua.
The two books belong to them.Nōku ēnā hū.
Those shoes are mine.Nā wai tēnei pene?
Who does this pen belong to?No Heretaunga rāua.
They are from Hastings.Nā ngā tauira tēnei pepa.
This paper belongs to the students.Nōu tērā whare.
That house belongs to you.Nāku te wāti nei,
This watch is mine.Nā ō tātou manuhiri pea?
Perhaps they belong to our guests?Nā ngā kaiako ngā pukapuka.
The books belong to the teachers.Nōu tērā, nōna tēnā, nōku tēnei.
That belongs to you, that belongs to her, this belongs to me.Nōku tēnei motopaika.
This motorbike is mine.Nāu tēnei?
Does this belong to you?Nōku tēnei hāte.
That shirt belongs to me.Nōku ēnei hū Nike.
These Nike shoes are mine.Nō rāua tērā waka.
That car belongs to them.Nāku tēnei.
This belongs to me.Nō te kurī te whare rā.
That house belongs to the dog.Nā Pāora tēnēi pene.
This pen belongs to Pāora.Nōku tēnei waka rererangi.
This airplane is mine.Mā wai ērā rahopūru?
Who are those avocados for?Na wai tēnei tamaiti?
Who does this child belong to?Nāna tērā kapu.
That cup belongs to him.Nō tā māua tama tērā whare.
That house belongs to our son.Nā ngā tauira ēnei pene.
These pens belong to the students.Nōku tērā waka.
That car belongs to me.No Ngāti Whātua ia.
She belongs to Ngāti Whātua.Nāhau tēnei?
Does this belong to you?Na Tawa taua waka whero.
That red car belongs to Tawa.Nāku tēnei kāri nama.
This credit card is mine.Nō Ari te paihikara.
The bike belongs to Ari.Nō ngā tauira tēnei paihikara.
This bicycle belongs to the students.Nōku tēnei motokā.
This car is mine.Nā mātou ngā taputapu.
The tools belong to us.Na wai ēnā kōtiro mōhio?
Whose are those clever girls?Nāku tēnei pouaka whakaata.
This television is mine.