First Lessons in Maori
§ 30. With Nouns
§ 30. With Nouns.
i. When used in immediate connexion with a noun, let kotahi stand for one, not tahi, and put e before the other numerals from two to nine.
Examples.
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He tangata kotahi, one man.
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Nga whare e toru, the three houses.
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Nga tao e wha tekau, the forty spears.
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He waka kotahi tekau ma rua, twelve canoes.
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Mo etahi waka kotahi tekau ma rua, for twelve canoes.
ii. In speaking of persons the numerals from rua to iwa inclusive, the interrogative hia, and the adjective maha, have toko- prefixed instead of e.
Examples.
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Tokohia? how many? ( i.e., persons).
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Nga tangata tokoiwa, the nine men.
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He tokomaha ratou, they are many.