mā - Te Aka Māori Dictionary

mā

1. (particle) for - indicating future possession. Used in this way when the possessor will have control of the relationship or is dominant, active or superior to what is possessed.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 64; Te Pihinga Study Guide (Ed. 1): 9-10; Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 54-56, 140-141;)

Mā Mū tēnei pukapuka. / This book is for Mū.

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2. (particle) by, made by, acted on - mā combines with e to form a future tense emphasising who or what will do the action, sometimes called the actor emphatic. This grammatical construction is only used with transitive verbs, not with intransitive verbs, with statives (neuter verbs), or with verbs in the passive.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 65; Te Kākano Study Guide (Ed. 1): 41-42;)

Mā tōku matua koe e whakahoki. / My father will take you back.

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Synonyms: nā

3. (particle) Used with hei to show relationships.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 54;)

Hei irāmutu a Aroha mā Hēni. / Aroha is Jane's niece.

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4. (particle) by way of, via, through.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 47-48; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 66;)