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