rite ki

Being Similar

Level 3

He rite tēnei ki tērā means “This is like that.”

How It Works

Use rite in a descriptive predicate and introduce the comparison partner with ki. A useful shape is He rite + subject + ki + comparison partner. A personal name or pronoun after ki receives personal marking, as in ki a Mere or ki a koe, in the teaching pattern used here. The predicate does not change for the subject's number or gender.

Likeness need not mean identity in every property: two hats might resemble each other in colour while differing in size. Tonu can emphasize the likeness. Compare He rite tēnei ki tērā, “This is like that,” with He nui ake tēnei i tērā, “This is larger than that.” One relates participants as alike; the other ranks their size. Here ki introduces a counterpart rather than a destination.

Examples (3)

  1. He rite tēnei pōtae ki tōku pōtae.

    This hat is like my hat.

    Ki introduces the comparison partner.

  2. He rite a Hana ki tōna whaea.

    Hana resembles her mother.

    The subject name takes a; the counterpart is a possessive noun phrase.

  3. He rite tonu tō reo ki te reo o tōku tuakana.

    Your voice is just like my older sibling's voice. (The sibling is of the speaker's gender.)

    Tonu emphasizes likeness; tuakana here refers to an older sibling of the speaker's gender.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

rite kiLevel 3Being Similar

Learn This First

Introduce a similarity predicate whose ki phrase names the counterpart. Context determines the relevant likeness; comparison does not assert identity in every property or make ki a destination marker here.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.