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