te nuinga o
Most of a Set
Follow te nuinga o with the phrase identifying the whole set.
How It Works
Form te nuinga o followed by a phrase naming the reference set: te nuinga o ngā mahi, “most of the work”. The o phrase identifies the whole against which the quantity is assessed. Te introduces nuinga; ngā separately introduces the plural set.
The entire quantity phrase can be a subject in a location, event, or descriptive clause. Its singular quantity head does not make the members singular, and the predicate acquires no English-style plural agreement ending.
Compare te nuinga o ngā pukapuka, “most of the books”, with ngā pukapuka katoa, “all the books”. The first asserts the greater part without asserting every member. It supplies neither an exact count nor an exact percentage; the reference set must be identifiable.
Examples (3)
- Kei waho te nuinga o ngā tamariki.
Most of the children are outside.
The o phrase supplies the child set.
- I oti te nuinga o ngā mahi.
Most of the work was completed.
The quantity phrase is the subject of oti.
- He hou te nuinga o ngā pukapuka.
Most of the books are new.
The description applies to the greater part of the books.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Read te nuinga o as a quantity phrase naming the greater part of an identifiable set. The whole phrase can be a subject; it gives no exact count or percentage and does not assert complete inclusion.
- te ... a / oA Possessor After the Noun
A noun followed by an o phrase provides a familiar structural basis for reading nuinga and its reference set, while this lesson introduces the particular part-to-whole relation.
Level 2 - ngā + nounThe Plural Article
The plural article identifies the member set following o and helps distinguish its marking from singular te before the quantity head.
Level 1
Related Patterns
Practice te nuinga o in Bubblegum
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