Māori Grammar
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Ordinal numbers are words like first, second, third, etc
There are two ways to form the ordinal numbers - firstly, with tua- as a prefix.
- tuatahi - first
- tuarua - second
- tuatoru - third
- tuawhā - fourth
- tuarima - fifth
- tuaono - sixth
- tuawhitu - seventh
- tuawaru - either
- tuaiwa - ninth
- tekau (or te tekau when definite)
The second way is the te ... o construction (meaning "the ... of")
- te tuatahi o - the first of...
- te rua o - the second of...
- te toru o - the third of...
- te whā o - the fourth of...
- te rima o - the fifth of...
- te ono o - the sixth of...
- te whitu o - the seventh of...
- te waru o - the eighth of...
- te iwa o - the ninth of...
- te tekau o - the tenth of...
Tuawhā.
Fourth.Hei te papa tuatoru te hui ā te ahiahi nei.
The meeting will be held on the third floor this afternoon.Ko te tuatahi hei te Rāhoroi.
The first will be on Sunday.A te wiki tuatahi o Tīhema, mutu ai te kura.
School will finish in the first week of December.He aha tōu ā te wāhanga tuarua?
What do you have period two?He pai ake te wāhanga tuatahi o te pukapuka nei i te wāhanga tuarua.
The first chapter is better than the second chapter of this book.Hei te papa tuatoru te hui ā te ahiahi nei.
The meeting will be held on the third floor this afternoon.Ka tīmata taku tama i te kura ā te wāhanga tuarua o te tau.
My son will start school in the second part of the year.Ko te rā tuatahi o te hararei āpōpō.
It's the first day of the holiday tomorrow.Ko koe te tuatahi ki te kōrero i roto i tēnei karaihe.
You are the first to speak in this class.I tākaro mātou i te kōti tuarua.
We played on the second court.Pānuihia mai te whārangi tuarua.
Read me the second page.Tuatahi me mihi ki te hunga mate. Tuarua me mihi ki te hunga ora.
Firstly you should acknowledge the dead (group of dead people). Secondly you should acknowledge the living (group of living people)Tuarua, whakamarokehia ngā perēti.
Secondly, dry the plates.Te rārangi tuarua.
The second line.Kātahi anō au ka tae mai ki runga i tēnei marae.
This is my first time on this marae.Tuatahi.
First.Kei te papa tākaro tuatahi taku kēmu.
My game is on the first field.Tuatoru.
Third.Tuatahi, horoia ngā kākahu, tuarua whakamarokehia ngā perēti.
First wash the clothes, second dry the plates.Tuatahi, horoia oū ringaringa.
First, wash your hands.Huri ki te whārangi tuatoru.
Turn to page three.Tuatahi, whakakāngia te umu.
First, turn on the oven.A te wiki tuatahi o Tīhema mutu ai te kura.
School will finish in the first week of December.