Interrogative pronouns in Maori grammar are essential components in forming questions. These are words such as ‘hea’ (where), ‘aha’ (what), ‘wai’ (who), ‘pehea’ (how), ‘hia’ (how many), and ‘hea’ (which). They play a crucial role in communicating inquiries and obtaining information, just like the English words ‘where’, ‘what’, ‘who’, ‘how’, ‘how many’, and ‘which’. Understanding and accurately using these pronouns are pivotal in mastering the Maori language.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blank with the Appropriate Interrogative Pronoun
1. Kei *hea* te wharepaku? (where)
2. *Aha* te tae o tō kotiro kaitākaro? (what)
3. Nō *hea* koe? (where)
4. *Pehea* te rahi o te waka? (how)
5. Kei *hea* tō pukapuka? (where)
6. *Hia* ngā pōro i roto i te kete? (how many)
7. Kua *aha* koe i te pō? (what)
8. He *aha* tēnei? (what)
9. *Wai* te ingoa o tērā tāne? (who)
10. *Hia* te utu o te pōtae? (how many)
11. Kei *hea* ngā tamariki? (where)
12. *Wai* tō hoa? (who)
13. *Pehea* te huarahi ki te wharepaku? (how)
14. Nō *hea* tō whānau? (where)
15. *Hia* ngā tāngata i te whare? (how many)
2. *Aha* te tae o tō kotiro kaitākaro? (what)
3. Nō *hea* koe? (where)
4. *Pehea* te rahi o te waka? (how)
5. Kei *hea* tō pukapuka? (where)
6. *Hia* ngā pōro i roto i te kete? (how many)
7. Kua *aha* koe i te pō? (what)
8. He *aha* tēnei? (what)
9. *Wai* te ingoa o tērā tāne? (who)
10. *Hia* te utu o te pōtae? (how many)
11. Kei *hea* ngā tamariki? (where)
12. *Wai* tō hoa? (who)
13. *Pehea* te huarahi ki te wharepaku? (how)
14. Nō *hea* tō whānau? (where)
15. *Hia* ngā tāngata i te whare? (how many)
Exercise 2: Fill in the Blank with the Appropriate Interrogative Pronoun
1. *Pehea* te āhua o tō whare? (how)
2. He *aha* tō whakawhitiwhitinga ki te whare tauhokohoko? (what)
3. *Wai* te rangatira o te iwi? (who)
4. Nō *hea* tēnei whare? (where)
5. He *aha* tō ingoa? (what)
6. *Wai* te whaea o te tamaiti? (who)
7. *Hia* ngā whare i tēnei tāone? (how many)
8. *Pehea* te wehenga atu i te whare whaiwhai ki te whare whare whaiwhai? (how)
9. *Wai* tēnei? (who)
10. *Hia* te utu mō tēnei pukapuka? (how many)
11. *Aha* te mahi a Pita i te whare wānanga? (what)
12. Nō *hea* te kurī? (where)
13. *Hia* ngā pungarehu i runga i te takutai? (how many)
14. *Pehea* te mahi a te kaiako i te kura? (how)
15. *Wai* te kaitākaro o te whutupōro? (who)
2. He *aha* tō whakawhitiwhitinga ki te whare tauhokohoko? (what)
3. *Wai* te rangatira o te iwi? (who)
4. Nō *hea* tēnei whare? (where)
5. He *aha* tō ingoa? (what)
6. *Wai* te whaea o te tamaiti? (who)
7. *Hia* ngā whare i tēnei tāone? (how many)
8. *Pehea* te wehenga atu i te whare whaiwhai ki te whare whare whaiwhai? (how)
9. *Wai* tēnei? (who)
10. *Hia* te utu mō tēnei pukapuka? (how many)
11. *Aha* te mahi a Pita i te whare wānanga? (what)
12. Nō *hea* te kurī? (where)
13. *Hia* ngā pungarehu i runga i te takutai? (how many)
14. *Pehea* te mahi a te kaiako i te kura? (how)
15. *Wai* te kaitākaro o te whutupōro? (who)
