§ 65.

The Verb “to have” having no equivalent in Maori its place is supplied by the following expedients:

i. By the use of one of the possessive particles, to, ta. o, a, with a pronoun, noun, or proper name (§§ 6, 18); the time (past, present, or future) being gathered from the context.

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Examples.

• He patu tāna, he has a weapon, or, he had a weapon.

• Kahore ā Ripi patu, Ripi has, or, had no weapon.

ii. By the use of the prepositions kei, i, hei, respectively for present, past, and future. (§ 40, f).

Examples.

• Kei ahau tāu kaheru, I have your spade, or, your spade is in my possession.

• Kāhore i ahau tāu kaheru, I have not your spade.

• I a ia toku waka, he had my canoe.

• Kahore i a ia te waka, he had not the canoe.

• Hei a Ripi te kuri, Ripi shall have the dog, or, let Ripi have the dog.

• Kauaka hei a Ripi te kuri, let not Ripi have the dog.

• Mehemea i a ia te taura, kua mauria e ahau, if he had had the rope I should have taken it.

iii. By using the verb ai (§ 64) followed by the preposition ma or mo; but this use is permissible only when the noun is preceded by the definitive he.

Examples.

• Ka ai he toki mana, he has an axe, or there is an axe for him.

• Me e ai ana he whare mou, if you had a house, or, if there were a house for you.

iv. By using the adjective whai, which signifies possessing, the thing possessed being used as another adjective qualifying whai.

• Kua whai whare ranei koe? have you a house? (literally have you become house-possessing?)