Māori Grammar

▶

Negations of identity sentences

ehara...

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 ērā i ngā mea tawhito.
Those are not the old ones.

Ehara tēnā pereti i te wera.
That plate is not hot.

Ehara au i te ākonga.
I am not a student.

Ehara tērā rākau i te tōtara, he rimu kē.
That is not a tōtara, it's actually a rimu.

Ehara tēnei mahi i te mahi ngāwari.
This work isn't easy work.

Ehara te ākonga i te māngai.
The student is not a representative.

Ehara tēnei i te motokā.
This is not a car.

Ehara te tāne i te kaihanga.
The man is not a builder.

Ehara a Tawa i te tangata mahi kai.
Tawa isn't a hunter-gatherer-grower of food.

Ehara ngā tēina i te tohunga whakairo.
The younger ones are not master carvers.

Ehara rāua i te ākonga.
They aren't students.

Ēhara i a Ponga te hē nei.
The fault is not Ponga's.

Ehara ōna waka i a Aotea, i a Tākitimu, i a Mataaua.
Aotea, Tākitimu and Mataaua are not his canoes.

Ehara koe i te tangata mohio.
You are not a knowledgeable person.

Ehara tēnei i te hokomaha.
This is not a supermarket.

Ehara i te miti kau te hapa pai ki a au.
It's not meat that I like for dinner.

Ehara tēnei i te ara kino.
This is not a bad road.

Ehara i a au te karakia i taki.
I was not the one who recited the prayer.

Ehara ngā rangatira i a Moki rāua ko Tū-te-kawa.
Moki and Tū-te-kawa were not the chiefs.

Ehara au i te kaiako.
I am not a teacher.

Ehara tāu i tēnā.
That one is not yours.

Ehara tērā i a Amaru, ko Kauri kē.
That person is not Amaru, it is Kauri.

Ehara a Pita i te matua.
Pita is not a parent.

Ehara a Manu i te kaiako.
Manu isn't a teacher.

Ehara koe i te tangata poto.
You aren't a short person.

Ehara a Koa i te pirihimana.
Koa is not a policeman.

Ehara ia i te tāne ranginamu.
He is not a handsome man.

Ehara ia i te kaiako.
He is not a teacher.

Ehara te manu pango i te manu māori.
The blackbird is not a native bird.

Ehara a Pāora i te kaitaraiwa pahi.
Pāora is not a bus driver.

Ehara i a Ataahua ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Ataahua didn't pick these flowers.

Ehara koe i te tangata mākoko.
You're not a lazy person.

Ehara tōku pāpā i te rangatira.
My father is not a leader.

Ehara mō Māui taku kōrero.
My talk is not about Māui.

Ehara i te mīti kau (te hapa pai ki a au).
It's not meat (the dinner that I like).

Ehara ēnei i te ara kikino.
These are not bad roads.

Ehara ia i te tangata atawhai.
He is not a kind person.

Ehara māu te kai nei.
This food isn't for you.

Ehara tērā i te kārearea, he kāhu kē.
That is not a falcon, it is actually a hawk.

Ehara ia i te tangata.
Ehara is not a man.

Ehara a Rangi i te tangata pakari.
Rangi is not a mature person.

Ehara ia i te nēhi.
She is not a nurse.

Ehara tēnā i te whakaaro pai e tama.
That's not a good idea guys.

Ehara koe i te āwhina.
You are not a helper.

Ehara āu i ēnā.
Those ones are not yours.

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 koe i te kaikōrero.
You are not a speaker.

Ehara ia i te tamaiti kaha.
He is not a strong child.

Ehara ia i te hamo pango.
She's not a coward.

Ehara ia i te pēpi.
He isn't a baby.

Ehara rāua i te kaiwhakaako.
They are not teachers.

Ehara ia i te tāne ranginamu.
He is not a handsome man.

Ehara a Niko rāua ko Mia i te mātua.
Niko and Mia are not parents.

Ehara te kaiako i te kaikōrero.
The teacher is not a speaker.

Ehara koe i te hoa pai.
You are not a good friend.

Ehara ia i te wahine atamai.
She is not a clever woman.

Ehara ngā tamariki i te kaitākaro.
The children are not athletes.

Ehara tērā i te mea tawhito.
That is not the old one.

Ehara tērā i te Pirimia.
That's not the Prime Minister.

Ehara te teina i te tohunga whakairo.
The younger one is not a master carver.

Ehara tērā i a Hēmi.
That is not Hēmi.

Ehara ērā i te ngeru.
Those are not cats.

Ehara tō hoa i te tangata anuhea.
Your friend isn't an ugly person.

Ehara tēnei i te papa tākaro.
This is not a playground.

Ehara tēnei i te mahi uaua.
This is not a difficult task.

Ehara a Mere i te kaiako nui.
Mere is not an important teacher.

Ehara tērā wahine i te kaiako.
That woman isn't a teacher.

Ehara ia i te kaitākaro whutupōro.
She is not a rugby player.

Ehara tērā tāne i te rangatira.
That man is not the boss.