Māori Grammar

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Te Reo Māori Level 3
Past agent emphatic - nā - agent emphatic

The past agent emphatic says who did something. It uses the nā... i... structure where the verb or mahi follows the i:

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who was the one who washed the dishes?

Nāku ngā rīhi i horoi.
I was the one who washed the dishes.

Nāu ngā rīhi i horoi.
You were the one who washed the dishes.

Nāna ngā rīhi i horoi.
He was the one who washed the dishes.

Nā tātou te waiata i waiata.
We were the ones who sang the song.

ngā tamariki te whare i whakapai.
The childred were the ones who cleaned the house

The agent emphatic has an emphasis on who did the action. Instead of simply saying "I did the dishes", the agent emphatic says: "I was the one who did the dishes".

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

Ponga tēnā, ēhara i a au.
Ponga is the cause, not me.

ngā tamariki i whakangaro ngā mea tākaro.
It was the children who lost the toys.

Nā Ponga ahau i āwhina.
I was protected by Ponga.

ngā tauira i whakarite te whakaaturanga.
It was the students who prepared the presentation.

te kōtiro te kete ātaahua i raranga.
It was the girl who wove the beautiful basket.

te kōtiro i waiata i te waiata.
It was the girl who sang the song.

te kairangahau i uiui ia tamariki, o ngā whānau katoa.
The researcher interviewed each group of children from all the families.

Nāku i kōrero ki a ia.
It was me who spoke to him/her.

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

Nāku i atu ki a koe.
It was me who told you.

Nāku te waka i whakakī.
I actually filled the car up with petrol.

Manu te waka i hoe ki te motu.
It was Manu who paddled the boat to the island.

ngā tāngata i āwhina te whānau.
It was the people who helped the family.

Manu te waka i hoe ki te motu.
Manu paddled the boat to the island.

Nāna ngā manuhiri i karanga.
She called to the guests.

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

ngā tamariki i kato te pūhā.
The children picked the pūhā.

te tama i tiki ngā mea tākaro.
It was the boy who fetched the toys.

ngā tamariki te pūhā i kato.
The children picked the pūhā.

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

Hōne i hanga te pouaka.
It was Hōne who built the box.

rātou i whakapai te whare.
It was them who cleaned the house.

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

Hera i mahi te parāoa.
Hera made the bread.

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

Nāku i tuhituhi te reta.
It was me who wrote the letter.

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

Nāna i tiki ngā tamariki i te kura.
It was him/her who picked up the children from school.

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

te pirihimana i hopu te tāhae.
It was the policeman who caught the thief.

Nānā te pūhā i kato.
She/he picked the pūhā.

wai te whare i whakapai?
Who was the one who cleaned the house?

tana rōpā i whakanoi he kai māna.
His slave hung some food up for him.

Tame ngā keke i tunu.
Tame cooked those cakes (near you).

Nāku i horoi te motokā.
It was me who washed the car.

Manu te papa i tahitahi.
It was Manu who swept the floor.

Nāu te mahi uaua i mahi.
You did the hard work.

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

taku tāne te parakuihi i whakarite!
(It was) my husband (who) prepared breakfast!

Rangi ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Rangi picked these flowers.

Nāku te pātai i pātai.
It was me who asked the question.

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

te kaitāmoko tōku moko i hoahoa.
It was the tattooist who designed my tattoo.

Nāku i horoi ngā rīhi.
It was me who washed the dishes.

Nāu au i kitea mai ai ki konei.
It is because of you that I am seen here.

Mere i horoi ngā pereti.
Mere and the others washed the plates.

Ponga te kōhuru i a au.
Ponga is responsible for the treachery against me.

Mia i āwhina a Ataahua.
It was Mia who helped Ataahua.

te kaiako i ngā ture.
It was the teacher who stated the rules.

rāua i hanga te whare.
It was them (two) who built the house.

Nāna i pupuhi te manu.
He was the one who shot the bird.

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

te kaiako i whakaako i ngā tauira.
It was the teacher who taught the students.

te wahine anake tērā mahi.
That task is done by woman alone.

Nāku i whakarite te hui.
It was me who organized the meeting.

taua rōpū ngā waiata tino reka.
That group did the sweetest singing.

Nāku i hoko te ngeru.
It was me who bought the cat.

te kaiako ia i whaka-oho.
It was the teacher who woke him/her up.

wai i e mārena ana tuakana?
Who said your brother's getting married?

te ua tātou i kore ai e haere.
It was because of the rain that we didn't go.

wai a Papa rāua ko Rangi i whakawehe?
Who separated Papa and Rangi?

mātou i kai ngā kai katoa.
It was us (excluding you) who ate all the food.

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

Nāku i hoko ngā .
It was me who bought the shoes.

Niko te parāoa i mahi.
Niko made the bread.

Nāna i tunu te keke.
It was him/her who baked the cake.

Nikau te karakia i taki.
It was Nikau who recited the prayer.

te paruauru te oneone i taupoki.
It was the gardener who dug the garden.

te kōtiro ngā putiputi i raranga.
It was the girl who wove the flowers.

Hine i te kōrero.
It was Hine who made the statement.

Nāku i kawe te pēke.
It was me who carried the bag.

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

Maru te kūmara i whakatipu.
It was Maru grew the kumara.

Nāku te pukapuka hītori i pānui i te Pātaka Kōrero.
I read the history book in the library.

Pita ngā kai i tunu.
It was Pita who cooked the food.

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

rāua i whakahoki ngā pukapuka.
It was them (two) who returned the books.

ngā kaiako i whakaako ngā tamariki.
It was the teachers who taught the children.

Nāku a Tawa i whakarere iho ake.
I abandoned Tawa.

Nāku anō taku haere mai.
I alone am responsible for my coming here.

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

te kōtiro te kurī i patu.
It was the girl who hit the dog.

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

rāua i whawhai ki ngā pirihimana.
It was them (two) who fought with the police.

te moko o Ponga i pai ai.
It is because of Ponga's facial tattoo that he was attractive.

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

te kōtiro te taramu i patu.
It was the girl who hit the drum.

Nāku i tiki te kai.
It was me who fetched the food.

Honi i pupuhi te manu.
Honi shot the bird.

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

Taika i tahitahi te papa.
It was Taika who swept the floor.

te rangatira taua īmēra i pānui.
It was the boss who read that (aforementioned) email.

Pita i mau ngā .
It was Pita who held the keys.

koutou i para i te ara.
You paved the way.

Amaru tōku whare i hanga.
It was Amaru who built my house.

Nāku te karakia i taki.
I was the one who recited the prayer.

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

Nāku i tiki te pukapuka.
It was me who fetched the book.

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

ngā mātou te whare i whakaparuparu.
It was the parents who messed up the house.

wai te whare i whakaparuparu?
Who was the one who messed up the house?

ngā tamariki te whare i whakapai.
The children were the ones who cleaned the house.

Nāku tēnei whare i hanga.
I was the one who built this house.

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

Pāora te keke i tunu.
Pāora was the one who baked the cake.

haena
iron (clothes)

wai kai i whakarite i tēnei ?
Who was the one who prepared food today?

Nāu ngā kūmara i waru.
You were the one who peeled the kūmera.

wai kai i tunu inapō
Who was the one who cooked your food last night?

wai koe i ako ki te whakapai moenga?
Who was the one who taught you to make your bed?

wai moenga i whakatika ii tēnei ata?
Who made your bed the morning?

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

tōku hoa te kai i tunu.
My friend was the one who cooked the food.

Nāna rātou i manaaki.
She was the one who looked after them.

tātou te waiata i waiata.
We were the ones who sang the song.

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

Nāku te keke tunu.
I was the one who cooked the cake.

Nāku ngā rīhi i horoi.
I was the one who washed the dishes.

wai ō kākahu i horoi i tērā wiki?
Who washed the clothes last week?

wai koe i whakapakeke?
Who was the one who raised you?

Ehara i tōku hoa te kai i tunu.
It wasn't my friend who cooked the food.

Nāna te tēpu i whakarite.
She was the one who set the table.

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

Nāku te kai i tunu.
I was the one who cooked the food.

wai ō kākahu i pōkai i tēnei wiki?
Who was the one who folded the clothes last week?

wai kawhe i whakarite i tēnei ?
Who was the one who made your coffee today?

Nāu te keke i tunu.
You were the one who baked the cake.

wai wharepaku i horoi i tērā wiki?
Who was the one who cleaned the toilet last week?

Nāna te keke i tunu.
She was the one who baked the cake.

Nāku te keke i tunu.
I was the one who cooked the cake.

Nāu i horoi, nāku i tāora.
You washed, I dried.