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 a Taika i te kaitaraiwa pahi.
Taika is not a bus driver.Ehara tēnei i te hokomaha.
This is not a supermarket.Ehara ia i te tangata atawhai.
He is not a kind person.Ehara tērā i a Hēmi.
That is not Hēmi.Ehara tērā i te Pirimia.
That's not the Prime Minister.Ehara tēnā i te whakaaro pai e tama.
That's not a good idea guys.Ehara ia i te tangata.
Ehara is not a man.Ehara ia i te nēhi.
She is not a nurse.Ehara au i te kaiako.
I am not a teacher.Ehara tērā i te kārearea, he kāhu kē.
That is not a falcon, it is actually a hawk.Ehara i te miti kau te hapa pai ki a au.
It's not meat that I like for dinner.Ehara tēnei mahi i te mahi ngāwari.
This work isn't easy work.Ehara koe i te tangata mākoko.
You're not a lazy person.Ehara ērā i ngā mea tawhito.
Those are not the old ones.Ehara ia i te tamaiti kaha.
He is not a strong child.Ehara te ākonga i te māngai.
The student is not a representative.Ehara māu te kai nei.
This food isn't for you.Ehara ia i te tāne ranginamu.
He is not a handsome man.Ehara mō Māui taku kōrero.
My talk is not about Māui.Ehara tērā rākau i te tōtara, he rimu kē.
That is not a tōtara, it's actually a rimu.Ehara koe i te āwhina.
You are not a helper.Ehara koe i te tangata poto.
You aren't a short person.Ehara tērā rākau i te tōtara.
That tree is not a tōtara.Ehara tāu i tēnā.
That one is not yours.Ehara tēnei i te papa tākaro.
This is not a playground.Ehara i a Nikau ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Nikau didn't pick these flowers.Ehara i a au te karakia i taki.
I was not the one who recited the prayer.Ehara a Hera i te pirihimana.
Hera is not a policeman.Ehara tērā tāne i te rangatira.
That man is not the boss.Ehara te kaiako i te kaikōrero.
The teacher is not a speaker.Ehara te tāne i te kaihanga.
The man is not a builder.Ehara tēnei i te mahi uaua.
This is not a difficult task.Ehara tērā wahine i te kaiako.
That woman isn't a teacher.Ehara a Rangi rāua ko Mia i te mātua.
Rangi and Mia are not parents.Ehara a Manu i te tangata mahi kai.
Manu isn't a hunter-gatherer-grower of food.Ēhara i a Ponga te hē nei.
The fault is not Ponga's.Ehara ia i te hamo pango.
She's not a coward.Ehara tēnā pereti i te wera.
That plate is not hot.Ehara i te mīti kau (te hapa pai ki a au).
It's not meat (the dinner that I like).Ehara tērā i te mea tawhito.
That is not the old one.Ehara a Mere i te kaiako nui.
Mere is not an important teacher.Ehara koe i te tangata mohio.
You are not a knowledgeable person.Ehara ia i te wahine atamai.
She is not a clever woman.Ehara rāua i te kaiwhakaako.
They are not teachers.Ehara tēnei i te motokā.
This is not a car.Ehara tōku pāpā i te rangatira.
My father is not a leader.Ehara tōku whaea i te kuia.
My mother is not an elder.Ehara ngā tēina i te tohunga whakairo.
The younger ones are not master carvers.Ehara au i te ākonga.
I am not a student.Ehara ia i te kaitākaro whutupōro.
She is not a rugby player.Ehara tērā i a Koa, ko Kauri kē.
That person is not Koa, it is Kauri.Ehara te manu pango i te manu māori.
The blackbird is not a native bird.Ehara a Honi i te kaiako.
Honi isn't a teacher.Ehara ngā tamariki i te kaitākaro.
The children are not athletes.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 ia i te kaiako.
He is not a teacher.Ehara koe i te kaikōrero.
You are not a speaker.Ehara ngā rangatira i a Moki rāua ko Tū-te-kawa.
Moki and Tū-te-kawa were not the chiefs.Ehara a Aria i te matua.
Aria is not a parent.Ehara ēnei i te ara kikino.
These are not bad roads.Ehara a Rangi i te tangata pakari.
Rangi is not a mature person.Ehara ia i te tāne ranginamu.
He is not a handsome man.Ehara āu i ēnā.
Those ones are not yours.Ehara koe i te hoa pai.
You are not a good friend.