ehara i te ... engari

Correcting a Classification

Level 4

Ehara + subject + i te + category, engari he + replacement.

How It Works

Correct a singular classification with ehara + subject + i te + category, followed by engari and an affirmative replacement. The replacement commonly begins with he. Its subject can remain understood when the reference is clear, or appear explicitly after the replacement predicate. A descriptive modifier follows its noun.

Compare He kura tēnei, “This is a school,” with Ehara tēnei i te kura, “This isn’t a school.” Negative classification uses i te where this affirmative uses he; i does not mark past time here. The noun gains no agreement ending. This singular frame does not prescribe every nominal negative: plural definite identification permits i ngā, and personal identity uses i a. Choose marking according to the nominal construction being denied.

Examples (3)

  1. Ehara tēnei i te hōhipera, engari he kura.

    This isn’t a hospital, but a school.

    Corrects an institutional classification.

  2. Ehara a Miri i te kaiako, engari he nēhi ia.

    Miri isn’t a teacher, but a nurse.

    The replacement explicitly includes ia.

  3. Ehara tērā i te whare hou, engari he whare tawhito.

    That isn’t a new house, but an old house.

    Contrasts descriptions of the same building.

How It Connects

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

ehara i te ... engariLevel 4Correcting a Classification

Learn This First

Reject a proposed singular category and supply another with engari he. The replacement can leave the shared subject understood or state it explicitly; noun modifiers remain inside their descriptive phrases.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.