a + personal name
Marking a Personal Name
A marks personal names in particular positions.
How It Works
Kei te kai a Mere uses a Mere as the subject. Ko Mere te kaiako identifies Mere and uses ko instead.
The personal article also follows certain prepositions, as in ki a Mere and i a Mere. A possessive phrase such as te whare o Mere does not insert another a between o and Mere. Read the name with its full surrounding construction.
Examples (3)
- Kei te kai a Mere.
Mere is eating.
- I haere a Wiremu.
Wiremu went.
- He kaiako a Hana.
Hana is a teacher.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Introduce a as the personal article in specific environments, especially ordinary personal-name subjects. Compare a Mere, ko Mere and ki a Mere, while recognizing that possessive phrases have their own marking and do not insert another personal a automatically.
- ko + nameNaming an Identity
Identification with ko Mere supplies the contrast needed to understand why an ordinary named subject instead appears as a Mere.
Level 1 - ki a + personTo a Person
The personal-recipient lesson provides an established environment for a after a preposition, which this lesson compares with named-subject marking.
Level 1
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice a + personal name in Bubblegum
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