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).
Nōku tēnei motopaika.
This motorbike is mine.Na wai te waka whero?
Who does the red car belong to?Nā tātou ēnei hēki.
These eggs belong to us.Nāku te moni nei.
This money is mine.Nōku te motopaika rā.
That motorbike over there is mine.Nō Mere tēnei tūru.
This chair belongs to Mere.Nā rātou ērā rīhi paru.
Those dirty dishes are theirs.Nā mātou ngā taputapu.
The tools belong to us.No ngā tāngata i roto i te whare nui.
They belong to all the people in the meeting house.Nōku tēnei waka ātea.
This spaceship is mine.Nōu tēnei motokā.
This car is yours.Nāku ngā kī.
The keys are mine.Nō te kurī te whare rā.
That house belongs to the dog.Nā ngā tauira ēnei pene.
These pens belong to the students.Nāku tēnei maika, nāu tēnei ārani, nāna tērā tōtiti.
This banana is mine, this orange is yours, that sausage is his.Nō wai te whare rā?
Who does that house belong to?No Hawaiki tātou katoa.
We are all from Hawaiki.Na wai ēnā kōtiro mōhio?
Whose are those clever girls?Nāhau tēnei?
Does this belong to you?No Waikanae rāua.
They are from Waikanae.Nō rāua tērā waka.
That car belongs to them.Nāku te wāti nei,
This watch is mine.Nā tō rāua māmā tēnei.
This belongs to their mother.Nā rāua ngā pukapuka e rua.
The two books belong to them.Nō tā māua tama tērā whare.
That house belongs to our son.Nā Aria tēnēi pene.
This pen belongs to Aria.Nōku ēnā hū.
Those shoes are mine.Nāku ērā pene.
Those pens belong to me.Nāu tēnei kuri.
This dog belongs to you.Nāku tēnei.
This belongs to me.Nā Mere tēnei rāpeti.
This rabbit belongs to Mere.No wai mā ēnei hū?
Who do these shoes belong to?Nāu tēnei kapu.
This cup belongs to you.Nō te whānau tēnei whare.
This house belongs to the family.Nāku tēnei kāri nama.
This credit card is mine.Nā wai tēnei pene?
Who does this pen belong to?Nōu tērā whare.
That house belongs to you.Nāku tērā waea pūkoro.
Ehara i a au tērā waea pūkoro.Nā ngā kaiako ngā pukapuka.
The books belong to the teachers.Na Manu and Ani.
They are Manu's and Ani's.Nā ō tātou manuhiri pea?
Perhaps they belong to our guests?Nō Hine tēnei whare.
This house belongs to Hine.Na Tawa taua waka whero.
That red car belongs to Tawa.Nōku tērā waka.
That car belongs to me.Nā wai ēnei pene?
Who do these pens belong to?Nō ngā tauira tēnei paihikara.
This bicycle belongs to the students.No tōku tuahine ngā waka whero.
The red car belongs to my older sibling.Na wai tēnei tamaiti?
Who does this child belong to?Nō te marae ēnei tūru.
These chairs belong to the marae.Nāku tēnei pukapuka.
This book belongs to me.Nō Ngāti Awa a Taika.
Taika belongs to Ngāti Awa.Nāu tēnei?
Does this belong to you?Nō Taika te paihikara.
The bike belongs to Taika.Nōku tēnei waka rererangi.
This airplane is mine.Nōku te whare iti.
The small house is mine.Nāku tēnei pouaka whakaata.
This television is mine.Nōku tēnei whare.
This house is mine.Nōku tēnei motoka.
This car is mine.Nōku te koti nei.
This coat is mine.Nā ngā tamariki te papa tākaro.
The playground belongs to the children.No Ngāti Whātua ia.
She belongs to Ngāti Whātua.Nā ngā tauira tēnei pepa.
This paper belongs to the students.Nāu tēnei rorohiko.
This computer belongs to you.Nōu tērā, nōna tēnā, nōku tēnei.
That belongs to you, that belongs to her, this belongs to me.Mā wai ērā rahopūru?
Who are those avocados for?Nōku tēnei hāte.
That shirt belongs to me.Nāna tērā kapu.
That cup belongs to him.Nōku tēnei motokā.
This car is mine.Nā ngā tamariki tēnei tāwhiri.
This kite belongs to the children.Nō te whānau tēnei whenua.
This land belongs to the family.Nā Pita tēnei kāmera.
This camera belongs to Pita.Nāku te rakuraku nā.
That guitar belongs to me.Nāku ngā kura rā!
Those feathers belong to me!Nōku ēnei hū Nike.
These Nike shoes are mine.Nā ngā tamariki ēnei pukapuka.
These books belong to the children.