First Lessons in Maori

§ 58. Derivative Nouns are formed—

§ 58. Derivative Nouns are formed—

i. From transitive verbs, by prefixing kai, to denote the agent, thus:

Hanga, make. Kaihanga, maker.

ii. From verbs generally, by adding as a suffix one of the terminations, -nga, -anga, -hanga, -kanga, -manga, -ranga, -tanga, -inga, as:—

  • mahinga from mahi

  • nohoanga from noho

  • tirohanga from tiro

  • tomokanga from tomo

  • ngaromanga from ngaro

  • turanga from tu

  • puritanga from pupuri

  • kāinga from kā

The termination suitable to any particular verb will, as in the case of the passive, have to be learned; but it will be noticed that in many cases it bears some relation to the passive termination ( § 51), thus:—

titiro tirohia tirohanga
motu motukia motukanga
tanu tanumia tanumanga
man mauria mauranga
pupuri puritia puritanga

A few verbs preserve an ancient verbal suffix, hi or ki; and these form the verbal noun direct from the root; as, arahi, arahanga, rumaki, rumakanga.

The noun thus formed denotes the ( a) circumstance, ( b) time, ( c) place, or ( d) matter of the action expressed by the verb. In the case of a transitive verb the noun may be used in either the active or the passive sense. ( § 22 a, b).

Examples.
( a) Mo taku patunga i tana tamaiti, on account of my striking his child.
( b) I tona taenga atu, at the time of his arrival, or, when he arrived.
( c) Ko te turanga tena o Horo, that is the place where Horo stood.
( d) Tena etahi purapura hei whakatokanga mau, there is some seed for you to plant.