ko + focused phrase

Focusing a Participant

Level 4

Ko + participant + verbal predicate highlights who is involved.

How It Works

Place ko before an identifying name, pronoun or definite noun phrase. A name follows directly, without the ordinary subject article a. A following verbal predicate keeps its tense and aspect marking: kei te presents an ongoing activity, while kua can present completion or a resulting state.

Compare Kei te kōrero a Hana, “Hana is speaking,” with Ko Hana kei te kōrero, “Hana is the one speaking.” The second highlights the participant’s identity. Ko au te kaitaraiwa instead identifies a nominal role. Predicates acquire no person or number endings. Use this construction to identify a participant.

Examples (3)

  1. Ko Hana kei te kōrero.

    Hana is the one speaking.

    Highlights the participant in an ongoing activity.

  2. Ko ngā kaihoe kua hoki mai.

    The paddlers are the ones who have returned.

    A plural participant precedes the completed-return predicate.

  3. Ko au te kaitaraiwa.

    I am the driver.

    Nominal identification contrasts with verbal participant focus.

How It Connects

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

ko + focused phraseLevel 4Focusing a Participant

Learn This First

Place an identifying participant before its activity or role to highlight who is involved. Keep the following predicate's aspect marking and recognize that a name after ko appears directly.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.