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