arā

Clarifying a Meaning

Level 4

Put arā before an identification, list or fuller explanation.

How It Works

Arā introduces material identifying or explaining what came before. It can precede a name, list or fuller clause. Keep the particles required within that material: a focused identification can use ko, while a passive-agent phrase retains e. Arā has no person or number agreement.

“Namely” suits identifying a person or the members of a set. “That is” suits a more precise restatement. In Me wehe wawe tātou, arā, me wehe i mua i te ono karaka, the second recommendation specifies what early means here.

Clarification explains the referent or meaning of earlier wording; an additional independent fact need not do so. A comma can display the connection but does not provide grammatical marking within the following phrase. Preserve the macron in arā. The examples use ordinary contemporary macron spelling, with no pronunciation-only notation.

Examples (3)

  1. Kotahi te tangata i tae tōmuri, arā, ko Hēmi.

    One person arrived late, namely Hēmi.

    The clarification identifies the person.

  2. E rua ngā rā mō te hui, arā, ko te Rāhoroi me te Rātapu.

    There are two days for the meeting, namely Saturday and Sunday.

    The following phrase identifies the days.

  3. Me wehe wawe tātou, arā, me wehe i mua i te ono karaka.

    We should leave early; that is, we should leave before six o'clock.

    The restatement specifies the intended time; tātou includes the addressee.

How It Connects

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

arāLevel 4Clarifying a Meaning

Learn This First

Use arā to identify or clarify preceding wording through a name, list or fuller statement. The following material retains its own marking and narrows the intended referent or meaning.