Noun bases include those bases that can take a definite article, but cannot occur as the nucleus of a verbal phrase; for example: "ika" (fish) or "rākau" (tree). Plurality is marked by various means, including the definite article (singular "te", plural "ngā"), deictic particles "tērā rākau" (that tree), "ērā rākau" (those trees), possessives "taku whare" (my house), "aku whare" (my houses). A few nouns lengthen a vowel in the plural, such as "wahine" (woman); "wāhine" (women). In general, bases used as qualifiers follow the base they qualify, e.g. "matua wahine" (mother, female elder) from "matua" (parent, elder) "wahine" (woman).