Exercise Eight

Using a and o categories for portable objects

In the Māori language when talking about possession there are two categories known as the a and the o categories. Which is used depends on the relationship between the thing or action that is possessed and the possessor.

Portable objects: These usually fall under the a category. Portable objects consist of things such as pens, cell phones, bags and many other items. For example:

Kei hea tāku pēke?Where is my bag?

However, this excludes items such as chairs, clothing and beds as they fall under the o category because they relate to the body.

Immovable objects: These fall under the o category and include such things as houses and buildings. For example:

Arā tōku whare.There is my house.

Transport: All objects of transport fall under the o category. Transport includes things such as cars, bicycles, trucks, vans. Transport also includes horses if they are being used for transport. For example:

I haere mai au mā runga i tōku pahikara.I came on my bicycle.

For further explanations, examples and exercises: Te Kākano pp. 140-142; Te Kākano CDs Mahi 51-54; Te Kākano Pukapuka Tātaki pp. 33-34

Whiriwhirihia te kupu e tika ana hei whakakī i te āputa.
Choose the correct word to fill the gap.

Don’t forget to use commas, question marks, and fullstops and macrons where appropriate (ā,ē,ī,ō, and ū).

Anei

pukapuka.

Ngāti Tūwharetoa tērā wharenui.

Ko tērā te motokā

Mereana.

Kei runga ia i te tarakihana

Hēmi.

Kei runga

waea pūkoro i te tēpu.

Homai

rūri.

Kua haere ia ki te ngahere mā runga i

hōiho.

I tū

whare i konei.

Ka tae mai

waka rererangi āpōpō.

Kei roto ngā kutikuti

tōku whaea i te kāpata.

Kei hea kē

pahikara?

wai tēnei pene rākau?

Kua eke rātou ki runga i te poti

Tā Tīpene.

Kei runga ngā kurī i te taraka

Herewini.

Anei

pouaka, arā tāu.