Interrogative adjectives in Maori grammar are used to ask questions about someone or something. These adjectives generally start with ‘hea’, ‘tehea’, ‘pehea’ and ‘whea’, which roughly translates to “which”, “what” and “where” respectively. The purpose of interrogative adjectives is to query the specific characteristics of a noun (person, place or thing). They’re generally positioned before nouns and can create open-ended questions to initiate interactive conversations in the Maori language.
Exercise 1: Fill in the blank with the correct Interrogative adjective.
1. *waka* (boat) tenei? (which)
2. Nui *tehea* (which) whare? (which)
3. Ki *whea* (where) koutou e haere ana? (where)
4. Kei *whea* (where) te poaka? (where)
5. Ko *whea* (which) tou wahi pai ki te mahi ai? (which)
6. Maku e whiriwhiri i *tehea* (which) kotiro aroha? (which)
7. E tipu ana *tehea* (which) rakau? (which)
8. Titiro ki *whea* (where) maunga? (where)
9. He aha *tehea* (which) kaupapa mo te hui? (which)
10. Ka whakarongo koe ki *whea* (which) waiata? (which)
11. E wha *whea* (where) whare rata? (where)
12. Tau *whea* (which) iwi e whawhai ana? (which)
13. Hou *whea* (which) mahi a Papa? (which)
14. *Whea* (where) te kura e whakahaere ana ia? (where)
15. He aha *tehea* (which) whai take ki a koe? (which)
2. Nui *tehea* (which) whare? (which)
3. Ki *whea* (where) koutou e haere ana? (where)
4. Kei *whea* (where) te poaka? (where)
5. Ko *whea* (which) tou wahi pai ki te mahi ai? (which)
6. Maku e whiriwhiri i *tehea* (which) kotiro aroha? (which)
7. E tipu ana *tehea* (which) rakau? (which)
8. Titiro ki *whea* (where) maunga? (where)
9. He aha *tehea* (which) kaupapa mo te hui? (which)
10. Ka whakarongo koe ki *whea* (which) waiata? (which)
11. E wha *whea* (where) whare rata? (where)
12. Tau *whea* (which) iwi e whawhai ana? (which)
13. Hou *whea* (which) mahi a Papa? (which)
14. *Whea* (where) te kura e whakahaere ana ia? (where)
15. He aha *tehea* (which) whai take ki a koe? (which)
Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct Interrogative adjective.
1. *whea* (where) te pukapuka whare? (where)
2. Te whakanui i *whea* (which) marae? (which)
3. *Whea* (where) te mahi a Tama? (where)
4. Titiro ki *whea* (which) whetu? (which)
5. He aha *tehea* (which) wharekai mo tenei ra? (which)
6. Ka whai whakaaro koe ki *whea* (which) kaupapa? (which)
7. Penei *whea* (which) korero i te rangi? (which)
8. Ka whakawhitiwhiti korero *whea* (which) papa mo te takaro? (which)
9. He aha *tehea* (which) tirohanga o te hui? (which)
10. Mātau *whea* (which) whanau e whakataki? (which)
11. E hoko ana koe i *whea* (which) waitohu? (which)
12. E whakarite ana koe i *whea* (which) hui? (which)
13. *Whea* (where) te whare purei a Tamati? (where)
14. Mo *whea* (which) o nga tamariki te ako i te reo? (which)
15. He aha *tehea* (which) korero mo te whakakoro reo? (which)
2. Te whakanui i *whea* (which) marae? (which)
3. *Whea* (where) te mahi a Tama? (where)
4. Titiro ki *whea* (which) whetu? (which)
5. He aha *tehea* (which) wharekai mo tenei ra? (which)
6. Ka whai whakaaro koe ki *whea* (which) kaupapa? (which)
7. Penei *whea* (which) korero i te rangi? (which)
8. Ka whakawhitiwhiti korero *whea* (which) papa mo te takaro? (which)
9. He aha *tehea* (which) tirohanga o te hui? (which)
10. Mātau *whea* (which) whanau e whakataki? (which)
11. E hoko ana koe i *whea* (which) waitohu? (which)
12. E whakarite ana koe i *whea* (which) hui? (which)
13. *Whea* (where) te whare purei a Tamati? (where)
14. Mo *whea* (which) o nga tamariki te ako i te reo? (which)
15. He aha *tehea* (which) korero mo te whakakoro reo? (which)
