In the Maori language, uncountable nouns or ‘ingoa ēkore_whakatauria’ are nouns that you can’t quantify directly by adding a number before it. This is similar to English where we have words like ‘water’, ‘music’, ‘rice’, etc. We can’t count these using numbers directly but have to use some kind of measurement to count them such as ‘a bowl of’ or ‘a cup of’. For instance, ‘wai’ (‘water’) and ‘huka’ (‘sugar’) in Maori.
Exercise One: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate Maori uncountable noun
1. “He *wai* maaku.” (water)
2. “He *rakau* tatou whare.” (timber)
3. “Ko *hinu* te whakakore e inu.” (oil)
4. “He hiahia ahau ki te kai *huka*.” (sugar)
5. “He *hau* te rangi i tenei ra.” (air)
6. “He *raituhi* ahau e mahi ana.” (lightning)
7. “He nui te *whenua* i konei.” (land)
8. “Kei te whakamahi matou i te *ereo*.” (gas)
9. “I kite ahau i te *whero*.” (red)
10. “Kei te inu ahau i te *miraka*.” (milk)
11. “Kei te whakakore e kai *ropihi*.” (corn)
12. “Kei te ahua paku i te *hopi*.” (hope)
13. “Kei te whakamahi ahau i te *waina* Maori.” (wine)
14. “He pai ki a ahau te *tiakarete*.” (chocolate)
15. “Ka whakaranu matou i te *papa*paku.” (bread)
2. “He *rakau* tatou whare.” (timber)
3. “Ko *hinu* te whakakore e inu.” (oil)
4. “He hiahia ahau ki te kai *huka*.” (sugar)
5. “He *hau* te rangi i tenei ra.” (air)
6. “He *raituhi* ahau e mahi ana.” (lightning)
7. “He nui te *whenua* i konei.” (land)
8. “Kei te whakamahi matou i te *ereo*.” (gas)
9. “I kite ahau i te *whero*.” (red)
10. “Kei te inu ahau i te *miraka*.” (milk)
11. “Kei te whakakore e kai *ropihi*.” (corn)
12. “Kei te ahua paku i te *hopi*.” (hope)
13. “Kei te whakamahi ahau i te *waina* Maori.” (wine)
14. “He pai ki a ahau te *tiakarete*.” (chocolate)
15. “Ka whakaranu matou i te *papa*paku.” (bread)
Exercise Two: Identify the correct uncountable noun
1. “Te *wai* o te roto he karu kore.” (water)
2. “He iti te marama, he iti *huka*.” (sugar)
3. “Kei te kai ahau i te *tiakarete*.” (chocolate)
4. “Kei te whakamahi ahau i te *ropihi*.” (corn)
5. “He *era* pai tenei.” (hour)
6. “Ka whakamahi ahau i te *hinu* ki te tunu iaku kai.” (oil)
7. “*Rakau* te whakapiri ki tetahi atu.” (timber)
8. “He whanau nui ake te *whenua*.” (land)
9. “Ka whakamahi ahau i te *ero* hei whakatau i nga pakaru.” (dust)
10. “Kei te inumiraka ahau i te *miraka*.” (milk)
11. “He nui te *waina* ki noho ai te katoa.” (wine)
12. “Te *papa* ake o te ra, he maha nga whakaaro.” (bread)
13. “He *raituhi* te whakakore e takatu.” (lightning)
14. “Kei raro te mata o te *whero*.” (red)
15. “Hei te *hau* ke te whakararuraru.” (air)
2. “He iti te marama, he iti *huka*.” (sugar)
3. “Kei te kai ahau i te *tiakarete*.” (chocolate)
4. “Kei te whakamahi ahau i te *ropihi*.” (corn)
5. “He *era* pai tenei.” (hour)
6. “Ka whakamahi ahau i te *hinu* ki te tunu iaku kai.” (oil)
7. “*Rakau* te whakapiri ki tetahi atu.” (timber)
8. “He whanau nui ake te *whenua*.” (land)
9. “Ka whakamahi ahau i te *ero* hei whakatau i nga pakaru.” (dust)
10. “Kei te inumiraka ahau i te *miraka*.” (milk)
11. “He nui te *waina* ki noho ai te katoa.” (wine)
12. “Te *papa* ake o te ra, he maha nga whakaaro.” (bread)
13. “He *raituhi* te whakakore e takatu.” (lightning)
14. “Kei raro te mata o te *whero*.” (red)
15. “Hei te *hau* ke te whakararuraru.” (air)
