ko koe anō
The English phrase "you too" is expressed in Māori as ko koe anō.
ko koe anō is a standard response used to return a greeting or a good wish to another person. You can use it to reply to expressions such as Kia ora (Hello/Be well) or Ngā mihi (Regards/Thanks).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "you also" or "you too". The word koe means "you" and anō means "again" or "also".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the singular pronoun koe, so ko koe anō is used when you are addressing only one person. If you are responding to a group of people, you should use the plural form ko koutou anō.
Did you know?
- The word koe is thought to be onomatopoeic, potentially mimicking a sound used to get someone's attention.
- Because koe is strictly singular, using it to reply to a group of people could be seen as excluding everyone but one individual.
- The word anō in this phrase carries a secondary meaning of 'again', making the literal sense feel like 'you again'.
Example conversation
Maia and Rawiri are saying goodbye.
- MaiaKia pai tō rā, Rawiri.Have a nice day, Rawiri.
- RawiriKo koe anō, Maia.You too, Maia.
- MaiaKa kite i a koe.See you later.
- RawiriKa kite.See you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries koe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
