Māori Grammar
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The past agent emphatic says who did something. It uses the nā... i... structure where the verb or mahi follows the i:
Nā 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.
Nā 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".
Nā koutou i para i te ara.
You paved the way.Nā Rangi tōku whare i hanga.
It was Rangi who built my house.Nā wai tō kawhe i whakarite i tēnei rā?
Who was the one who made your coffee today?Nā wai ō kākahu i pōkai i tēnei wiki?
Who was the one who folded the clothes last week?Nā wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?Nāu au i kitea mai ai ki konei.
It is because of you that I am seen here.Nā te kōtiro te kete ātaahua i raranga.
It was the girl who wove the beautiful basket.Nā rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.Nāku i tiki te pukapuka.
It was me who fetched the book.Nā Ponga te kōhuru i a au.
Ponga is responsible for the treachery against me.Nāna i tiki ngā tamariki i te kura.
It was him/her who picked up the children from school.Nānā te pūhā i kato.
She/he picked the pūhā.Nā te kōtiro te taramu i patu.
It was the girl who hit the drum.Nā wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?Nā wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?Nā Manu te waka i hoe ki te motu.
Manu paddled the boat to the island.Nāu ngā kūmara i waru.
You were the one who peeled the kūmera.Nāna te keke i tunu.
She was the one who baked the cake.Nā te moko o Ponga i pai ai.
It is because of Ponga's facial tattoo that he was attractive.Nāku i hoko ngā hū.
It was me who bought the shoes.Nāku i tuhituhi te reta.
It was me who wrote the letter.Nā te rangatira taua īmēra i pānui.
It was the boss who read that (aforementioned) email.Nā wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?Nā te kaitāmoko tōku moko i hoahoa.
It was the tattooist who designed my tattoo.Nā rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.Nā te kairangahau i uiui ia tamariki, o ngā whānau katoa.
The researcher interviewed each group of children from all the families.Nā te ua tātou i kore ai e haere.
It was because of the rain that we didn't go.Nāku te pukapuka hītori i pānui i te Pātaka Kōrero.
I read the history book in the library.Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.Nā Taika i mahi te parāoa.
Taika made the bread.Nā wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?Nā taku tāne te parakuihi i whakarite!
(It was) my husband (who) prepared breakfast!Nāna rātou i manaaki.
She was the one who looked after them.Nā te kaiako ia i whaka-oho.
It was the teacher who woke him/her up.Nāku i whakarite te hui.
It was me who organized the meeting.Nāku i kī atu ki a koe.
It was me who told you.Nā wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?Nā wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?Nā wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?Nā Hōne i hanga te pouaka.
It was Hōne who built the box.Nā wai te whare i whakaparuparu?
Who was the one who messed up the house?Nā wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?Nā Hine i kī te kōrero.
It was Hine who made the statement.Nā te paruauru te oneone i taupoki.
It was the gardener who dug the garden.Nā ngā tamariki te pūhā i kato.
The children picked the pūhā.Nā ngā tamariki i kato te pūhā.
The children picked the pūhā.Nāku anō taku haere mai.
I alone am responsible for my coming here.Nā rāua i whawhai ki ngā pirihimana.
It was them (two) who fought with the police.Nā tana rōpā i whakanoi he kai māna.
His slave hung some food up for him.Nā māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.Nāu te keke i tunu.
You were the one who baked the cake.Nā Mia te karakia i taki.
It was Mia who recited the prayer.Nā ngā mātou te whare i whakaparuparu.
It was the parents who messed up the house.Nā wai koe i ako ki te whakapai moenga?
Who was the one who taught you to make your bed?Nā rāua i whakahoki ngā pukapuka.
It was them (two) who returned the books.Nā wai tō kai i tunu inapō
Who was the one who cooked your food last night?Nā wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.Nāku i kōrero ki a ia.
It was me who spoke to him/her.Nā Tawa ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Tawa picked these flowers.Nā rātou i whakapai te whare.
It was them who cleaned the house.Nā Rangi te papa i tahitahi.
It was Rangi who swept the floor.Nāku tēnei whare i hanga.
I was the one who built this house.Nā mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.Nā taua rōpū ngā waiata tino reka.
That group did the sweetest singing.Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.Nā wai ō kākahu i horoi i tērā wiki?
Who washed the clothes last week?Nā Kauri i pupuhi te manu.
Kauri shot the bird.Nā wai tō wharepaku i horoi i tērā wiki?
Who was the one who cleaned the toilet last week?Nā wai a Papa rāua ko Rangi i whakawehe?
Who separated Papa and Rangi?Nā wai te whare i whakapai?
Who was the one who cleaned the house?Nā wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?Nā wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?Nā Manu te waka i hoe ki te motu.
It was Manu who paddled the boat to the island.Nā te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.Nā rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.Nā Maru te kūmara i whakatipu.
It was Maru grew the kumara.Nā wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?Nā wai tō kai i whakarite i tēnei rā?
Who was the one who prepared food today?Nā Manu i tahitahi te papa.
It was Manu who swept the floor.Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.Nā Aria te keke i tunu.
Aria was the one who baked the cake.Nā wai koe i whakapakeke?
Who was the one who raised you?Nā Mere mā i horoi ngā pereti.
Mere and the others washed the plates.Nā tō rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.Nāku i horoi ngā rīhi.
It was me who washed the dishes.Nāna te tēpu i whakarite.
She was the one who set the table.Nā ngā tauira i whakarite te whakaaturanga.
It was the students who prepared the presentation.Nā te kōtiro te kurī i patu.
It was the girl who hit the dog.Nāu i horoi, nāku i tāora.
You washed, I dried.Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.Nā te tama i tiki ngā mea tākaro.
It was the boy who fetched the toys.Nā ngā tāngata i āwhina te whānau.
It was the people who helped the family.Nā te kōtiro ngā putiputi i raranga.
It was the girl who wove the flowers.Nā rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.Nā mātou i kai ngā kai katoa.
It was us (excluding you) who ate all the food.Nā tōku hoa te kai i tunu.
My friend was the one who cooked the food.Nāku i tiki te kai.
It was me who fetched the food.Nāku te keke tunu.
I was the one who cooked the cake.haena
iron (clothes)Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.Nā Pita i mau ngā kī.
It was Pita who held the keys.Nāku te keke i tunu.
I was the one who cooked the cake.Nā 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.Nā Ponga tēnā, ēhara i a au.
Ponga is the cause, not me.Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.Nāku a Hēmi i whakarere iho ake.
I abandoned Hēmi.Nā te kaiako i whakaako i ngā tauira.
It was the teacher who taught the students.Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.Ehara i tōku hoa te kai i tunu.
It wasn't my friend who cooked the food.Nāna ngā manuhiri i karanga.
She called to the guests.Nāna i tunu te keke.
It was him/her who baked the cake.Nāku i horoi te motokā.
It was me who washed the car.Nā te wahine anake tērā mahi.
That task is done by woman alone.Nāku te karakia i taki.
I was the one who recited the prayer.Nā wai tō moenga i whakatika ii tēnei ata?
Who made your bed the morning?Nā te kaiako i kī ngā ture.
It was the teacher who stated the rules.Nā Aroha ngā keke nā i tunu.
Aroha cooked those cakes (near you).Nā Niko te parāoa i mahi.
Niko made the bread.Nā tātou te waiata i waiata.
We were the ones who sang the song.Nāku kē te waka i whakakī.
I actually filled the car up with petrol.Nā te kōtiro i waiata i te waiata.
It was the girl who sang the song.Nāna i pupuhi te manu.
He was the one who shot the bird.Nā rāua i hanga te whare.
It was them (two) who built the house.Nāku i hoko te ngeru.
It was me who bought the cat.Nā ngā kaiako i whakaako ngā tamariki.
It was the teachers who taught the children.Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.Nā Nikau ngā kai i tunu.
It was Nikau who cooked the food.Nā te pirihimana i hopu te tāhae.
It was the policeman who caught the thief.Nāu te mahi uaua i mahi.
You did the hard work.Nāku te pātai i pātai.
It was me who asked the question.Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.Nāku ngā rīhi i horoi.
I was the one who washed the dishes.Nā wai i kī e mārena ana tō tuakana?
Who said your brother's getting married?Nā wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?Nāku i kawe te pēke.
It was me who carried the bag.Nā Tame i āwhina a Ataahua.
It was Tame who helped Ataahua.Nā ngā tamariki te whare i whakapai.
The children were the ones who cleaned the house.