Section outline

  • Learning outcomes:

    Students will be able to:

    • recognise and use correct pumua for basic sentence structures (te/ngā, tētahi/ētahi, taku/tō/tana, a)
    • recognise and use identity sentences using ‘Ko’ to identify someone
    • ask and answer questions about who someone is

    Identity Sentences

    In te reo Māori sentences beginning with the word ‘Ko’ are often used to identify people. 
    For example:
    Ko Matua Anthony taku ingoa             My name is Matua Anthony
    Ko au te kaiako Māori                           I am the Māori teacher

    These sentences do not use verbs (action words) but mostly use nouns.

    Singular Pronouns

    au, ahau = me, myself, I
    koe         = you
    ia            = he/she

    Asking who someone is? 

    To ask who someone is we use the phrase “Ko wai?” For example:


    Q: Ko wai koe?                                        Who are you?
    A: Ko Matua Anthony ahau                    I am Matua Anthony
    OR
    Q: Ko wai tō ingoa?                                What (who) is your name?
    A: Ko Matua Anthony taku ingoa           My name is Matua Anthony