Māori Grammar
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Identity sentences start with ko.
The basic structure is:
Ko + [Thing being identified] + [Identifying information]
For example:
Ko Rangi tōku ingoa.
My name is Rangi
These sentences are negated with ehara (not kāore):
Ehara tōku ingoa i a Rangi.
My name is not Rangi.
Note that the order of the parts of the sentence are reversed.
Categorising sentences that start with he are also negated by ehara and so the precise meaning is determined by context.
He ngeru tērā.
That is a cat.
Ko ngeru tērā.
That is the cat.
Ehara tērā i te ngeru.
That is not a cat.
That is not the cat.
Ehara māu te kai nei.
This food isn't for you.Ehara koe i te tangata mākoko.
You're not a lazy person.Ehara ia i te hamo pango.
She's not a coward.Ehara ia i te tāne ranginamu.
He is not a handsome man.Ehara ia i te kaitākaro whutupōro.
She is not a rugby player.Ehara ngā rangatira i a Moki rāua ko Tū-te-kawa.
Moki and Tū-te-kawa were not the chiefs.Ehara ērā i ngā mea tawhito.
Those are not the old ones.Ehara tēnā i te whakaaro pai e tama.
That's not a good idea guys.Ehara koe i te tangata mohio.
You are not a knowledgeable person.Ehara tērā i te kārearea, he kāhu kē.
That is not a falcon, it is actually a hawk.Ehara ia i te nēhi.
She is not a nurse.Ehara tērā i a Hēmi.
That is not Hēmi.Ehara tērā rākau i te tōtara, he rimu kē.
That is not a tōtara, it's actually a rimu.Ehara te tāne i te kaihanga.
The man is not a builder.Ehara a Mere i te kaiako nui.
Mere is not an important teacher.Ehara koe i te āwhina.
You are not a helper.Ehara a Tawa i te pirihimana.
Tawa is not a policeman.Ehara ia i te kaiako.
He is not a teacher.Ehara tōku whaea i te kuia.
My mother is not an elder.Ehara tērā rākau i te tōtara.
That tree is not a tōtara.Ehara te manu pango i te manu māori.
The blackbird is not a native bird.Ehara i te miti kau te hapa pai ki a au.
It's not meat that I like for dinner.Ehara a Rangi i te tangata pakari.
Rangi is not a mature person.Ehara a Hera i te kaiako.
Hera isn't a teacher.Ehara ērā i te ngeru.
Those are not cats.Ehara tō hoa i te tangata anuhea.
Your friend isn't an ugly person.Ehara ōna waka i a Aotea, i a Tākitimu, i a Mataaua.
Aotea, Tākitimu and Mataaua are not his canoes.Ehara tōku pāpā i te rangatira.
My father is not a leader.Ehara ngā tēina i te tohunga whakairo.
The younger ones are not master carvers.Ehara te kaiako i te kaikōrero.
The teacher is not a speaker.Ehara te ākonga i te māngai.
The student is not a representative.Ehara tērā tāne i te rangatira.
That man is not the boss.Ehara i a au te karakia i taki.
I was not the one who recited the prayer.Ehara rāua i te kaiwhakaako.
They are not teachers.Ehara i te mīti kau (te hapa pai ki a au).
It's not meat (the dinner that I like).Ehara tēnei mahi i te mahi ngāwari.
This work isn't easy work.Ehara a Honi i te tangata mahi kai.
Honi isn't a hunter-gatherer-grower of food.Ehara koe i te kaikōrero.
You are not a speaker.Ehara āu i ēnā.
Those ones are not yours.Ehara tēnei i te hokomaha.
This is not a supermarket.Ehara tēnei i te papa tākaro.
This is not a playground.Ehara tērā wahine i te kaiako.
That woman isn't a teacher.Ehara i a Ari ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Ari didn't pick these flowers.Ehara ia i te tangata atawhai.
He is not a kind person.Ehara tēnei i te ara kino.
This is not a bad road.Ehara tāu i tēnā.
That one is not yours.Ehara mō Māui taku kōrero.
My talk is not about Māui.Ehara a Manu rāua ko Moana i te mātua.
Manu and Moana are not parents.Ehara tēnei i te mahi uaua.
This is not a difficult task.Ehara ia i te tamaiti kaha.
He is not a strong child.Ehara tērā i te mea tawhito.
That is not the old one.Ehara ia i te tangata.
Ehara is not a man.Ehara ēnei i te ara kikino.
These are not bad roads.Ehara tērā i te Pirimia.
That's not the Prime Minister.Ehara ia i te tāne ranginamu.
He is not a handsome man.Ehara koe i te hoa pai.
You are not a good friend.Ehara tēnā pereti i te wera.
That plate is not hot.Ehara a Rangi i te matua.
Rangi is not a parent.Ēhara i a Ponga te hē nei.
The fault is not Ponga's.Ehara a Amaru i te kaitaraiwa pahi.
Amaru is not a bus driver.Ehara au i te kaiako.
I am not a teacher.Ehara ngā tamariki i te kaitākaro.
The children are not athletes.Ehara tēnei i te motokā.
This is not a car.Ehara ia i te wahine atamai.
She is not a clever woman.Ehara tērā i a Manu, ko Kauri kē.
That person is not Manu, it is Kauri.