First Lessons in Maori

§ 4

§ 4.

The nouns have no Inflections, nor any distinctions of Gender.

Obs. The interrogative pronoun aha, what, is treated as a common noun.

The Number of a common noun is denoted generally by the number of the definitive in connexion with it. ( §§ 17, 18.) The following words have one vowel lengthened in the plural, thus:

Singular. Plural.
Mătua, parent. Mātua, parents.
Tŭpuna, ancestor. Tūpuna, ancestors.
Tăngata, man. Tāngata, men.
Wăhine, woman. Wāhine, women.
Tuăhine, sister (of a man). Tuāhine, sisters.
Tuăkana, elder brother. Tuākana, elder brothers.
Těina, younger brother. Tēina, younger brothers.
Tamăhine, daughter. Tamāhine, daughters.

The word tamaiti, child, is used in the singular only, tamariki being always used for the plural.