In te reo Māori, you can introduce yourself by saying who you are and asking who someone else is.

We use the word [[k:Ko]] at the start of a sentence when we are identifying someone or something. In introductions, it marks the name as the person being talked about:

• Ko ... ahau. = “I am ...”.
• Ko wai tō ingoa? = “What is your name?”
• Ko ... tōku ingoa = “My name is ...”

You’ll see Ko used in other kinds of identifying sentences later on too.

Check your understanding:

• How would you say “I am Hēmi”? Ko Hēmi ahau.
• How would you ask “What is your name?” Ko wai tō ingoa?
• How would you say “My name is Mere”? Ko Mere tōku ingoa.