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:

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

hea tērā ākonga?
Where is that student from?

tēhea iwi koe?
Which iwi are you from?

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

Aotearoa koe?
Are you from NZ?

Kirikiriroa tōku hoa.
My friend is from Hamilton.

konei au.
I am from here.

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

te Tairāwhiti rātou.
They are from the east coast.

whea ō ?
Where did you get your shoes from?

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

Ingarangi a Rangi.
Rangi is from England.

Heretaunga hoa?
Is your friend from Hastings?

Te Tai Rāwhiti a ia, Ōtautahi au.
He came from the Eastland region, and I came from Christhurch.

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

Kawatiri toku pāpā.
My dad's from Westport.

Ōtautahi a Hemi.
Hemi is from Christchurch.

Ehara a Amaru Whanganui.
Amaru is not from Whanganui.

Ngāpuhi rāua.
The're from Ngāpuhi.

tēhea iwi koe?
Which ethnicity are you from?

hea tēnei wātakirihi?
Where is this watercress from?

hea ō rare?
Where are your lollies from?

Taranaki rāua.
They are from Taranaki.

Tūhoe tōku kuia.
My grandmother is from Tūhoe.

tēhea tāone koe?
Which town are you from?

hea pāpā?
Where's your dad from?

Ngāti Porou a Mere.
Mere is from Ngāti Porou.

Ngāpuhi rāua.
They are from Ngāpuhi.

whea ēnei maika?
Where do these bananas come from?

Amerika ahau.
I'm from America.

tēhea rohe koe?
Which region are you from?

Whakatū tōku pāpā.
My dad's from Nelson.

Ngāti Toa koe?
Are you from Ngāti Toa?

Ahitereiria tōku pāpā.
My dad's from Australia.

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

hea a Ataahua?
Where is Ataahua from?

Kāpiti toku whaea.
My mum's from Kāpiti.

Ahitereiria au.
I am from Australia.

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

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

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

hea tana pāpā?
Where's his dad from?

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

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

Rarotonga ōna tūpuna.
Her ancestors are from Rarotonga.

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

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

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

whea ēnei taewa?
Where do these potatoes comes from?

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

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

te toa hokorua.
From the second-hand shop.

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

hea tērā koroua?
Where's that elder from?

hea ō tūpuna?
Where are your ancestors from?

hea whaea?
Where is your mum from?

hea tēnei pāua?
Where did this pāua come from?

whea tēnei reta?
Where is this letter from?

konei au.
I am from here.

Waikato ahau.
I'm from Waikato.

Whanganui a Tamāhua.
Tamāhua was from Whananui.

hea koe e hoa?
Where are you from mate?

hea te ope?
Where is the travelling party from?

tēhea rohe koe?
Which region are you from?

whea ngā ?
Where are the shoes from?

Tauranga a Rangi.
Rangi is from Tauranga.

Kotirangi ōku tūpuna.
My ancestors are from Scotland.

Amerika māmā?
Is your mother from America?

Poneke tōku whaea.
My mother is from Wellington.

Te Waipounamu tōku māmā.
My mum's from the South Island.

te hokomaha.
From the supermarket.

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

Kāpiti ahau.
I am from Kapiti.

hea ō mātua?
Where are your parents from?

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

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

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

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

hea whānau?
Where is you family from?

Tāmaki-makau-rau au.
I am from Auckland.

hea koe?
Where are you from?

Ahitereiria tōku māmā.
My mum's from Australia.

whea ōu ?
Where did you get your shoes from?

hea ia?
Where is she from?

Te Tai Hauāuru ia.
S/he's from the Westland region.

hea hoa?
Where is your friend from?

Ahitereiria tēnei reta.
This letter is from Australia.

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