Māori Grammar

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Belonging to a place -
Belonging to a reason
Belonging to a reason
nā / nō

can be used to tallk about belonging to a place, or where someone comes from. It is a possessive and means "I belong to..."

Nō hea koe? is used to ask a person "where are you from?" but could also be translated as "Where do ytou belong?" or "What is your place of origin?’"

hea ia?
Where is she from?

Ahuriri is.
She is from Napier.

See also:

Kotirangi Ingarangi hoki ōku tūpuna.
My ancestors are from Scotland and England.

hea ō rare?
Where are your lollies from?

Ngāpuhi rāua.
The're from Ngāpuhi.

Ko Rangi taku pāpā. Ngāti Porou ia.
Rangi is my dad. He's from Ngāti Porou.

Amerika māmā?
Is your mother from America?

Te Tai Tokerau au.
I am from the Northland region.

te hokomaha.
From the supermarket.

hea koe e hoa?
Where are you from mate?

tēhea tāone koe?
Which town are you from?

konei au.
I am from here.

Ngāti Porou a Mere.
Mere is from Ngāti Porou.

te Tairāwhiti rātou.
They are from the east coast.

Te-Tai-Tonga tōku māmā.
My mum's from the Southland region.

Waikato ahau.
I'm from Waikato.

Ngāti Raukawa tōku pāpā.
My father is from Ngāti Raukawa.

Heretaunga tōku māmā.
My mum's from Hastings.

Ehara a Ataahua Whanganui.
Ataahua is not from Whanganui.

Te Tai Tokerau tōku pāpā.
My dad is from the Northland region.

tēhea iwi koe?
Which iwi are you from?

Kotirangi Ingarangi hoki ōku tūpuna.
My ancestors are from Scotland and England.

whea ōu ?
Where did you get your shoes from?

hea ō tūpuna?
Where are your ancestors from?

Whakatū a ia, Te Tai Tonga au.
He came from Nelson, and I came from Southland.

hea ia?
Where is she from?

tēhea rohe koe?
Which region are you from?

Ahitereiria tōku pāpā.
My dad's from Australia.

hea whānau?
Where is you family from?

Ahitereiria tēnei reta.
This letter is from Australia.

te toa ēnei maika.
These bananas from from the shop.

tēhea iwi koe?
Which ethnicity are you from?

hea ō mātua?
Where are your parents from?

whea ēnei taewa?
Where do these potatoes comes from?

te toa hokorua ngā .
The shoes come from the second hand shop.

Te Tai Hauāuru tōku pāpā.
My dad's from the Westland region.

Kirikiriroa tōku hoa.
My friend is from Hamilton.

hea tērā koroua?
Where's that elder from?

Waikato tōna whaea.
His/Her mother is from Waikato.

whea ō ?
Where did you get your shoes from?

whea tēnā tēpu?
Where did you get that table from?

tēhea rohe koe?
Which region are you from?

whea tēnei reta?
Where is this letter from?

hea hoa?
Where is your friend from?

hea tana pāpā?
Where's his dad from?

Te Tai Rāwhiti hoki ahau.
I'm also from the East Coast.

Kāpiti ahau.
I am from Kapiti.

Ahitereiria au.
I am from Australia.

Ahitereiria tōku māmā.
My mum's from Australia.

hea pāpā?
Where's your dad from?

whea ngā ?
Where are the shoes from?

Ko Pani ngā kaiwhakahaere. Te Kaha aua tāngata.
Pani and the others are the organisers. Those people are from Te Kaha.

Ngāti Toa koe?
Are you from Ngāti Toa?

Taranaki rāua.
They are from Taranaki.

Ngāti Kahungunu tōku hoa.
My friend is from Ngāti Kahungunu.

Tūhoe tōku kuia.
My grandmother is from Tūhoe.

Tauranga a Rangi.
Rangi is from Tauranga.

Whakatamacr;ne au.
I am from Whakatamacr;ne.

hea te ope?
Where is the travelling party from?

Ōtautahi a Hemi.
Hemi is from Christchurch.

Raratonga a ia, Takapuna au.
He is from Raratonga, and I am from Takapuna.

Kotirangi ōku tūpuna.
My ancestors are from Scotland.

hea koe?
Where are you from?

Rarotonga ōna tūpuna.
Her ancestors are from Rarotonga.

Te Waipounamu toku whaea.
My mum's from the South Island.

Ko Mary taku whaea. Ahitereiria ia.
Mary's my mum. She's from Australia.

konei au.
I am from here.

Ehara au Tāmaki Makaurau.
I'm not from Auckland.

whea waka hou?
Where did you get your new car from?

Poneke tōku whaea.
My mother is from Wellington.

whea ēnei maika?
Where do these bananas come from?

Te Tai Rāwhiti tōku pāpā.
My Dad's from the Eastland region.

Ngāpuhi rāua.
They are from Ngāpuhi.

hea a Honi?
Where is Honi from?

Te Tai Tokerau tōku pāpa.
My Dad's from the Northland region.

Rakiura toku pāpā.
My dad's from Stewart Island.

Ko tēnei he reta Ingarangi mai.
This is a letter from England.

Kāpiti hoa?
Is your friend from Kāpiti?

Aotearoa koe?
Are you from NZ?

te māra ēnei taewa.
These potatoes come from the garden.

te rohe o Te Arawa a Hemi.
Hemi is from the Te Arawa region.

Whanganui a Tamāhua.
Tamāhua was from Whananui.

te toa hokorua.
From the second-hand shop.

Amerika ahau.
I'm from America.

hea whaea?
Where is your mum from?

hea tērā ākonga?
Where is that student from?

hea tēnei wātakirihi?
Where is this watercress from?

hea tēnei pāua?
Where did this pāua come from?

Ingarangi a Rangi.
Rangi is from England.

Te Tai Rāwhiti ia.
S/he's from the Eastland region.