#140: The difference between nā and nō
Nāku versus nōku
Unrealised possession — mā, māku
In te reo Māori, nā/nāku (a-category) emphasizes the doer of an action (e.g., Nāku te waiata – I was the one who sang). Nō/nōku (o-category) indicates origin or belonging (e.g., Nō Kāpiti ahau – I’m from Kāpiti). The choice follows the a/o possession rules: mahi vs. home/land/iwi.