Māori Grammar

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It was Rangi who farted

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:

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".

See also:

• Established possession - nāku, nōku...
• Negating the past agent emphatic - ehara i...

Nā rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

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

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

Nā Koa tōku whare i hanga.
It was Koa who built my house.

Nā Mia ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Mia picked these flowers.

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

Nā wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

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

Nā wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

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

Nā rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

Nā te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

Nā rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

Nā tō rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

Nā rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

Nā Pāora ngā keke nā i tunu.
Pāora cooked those cakes (near you).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

Nā Ataahua ngā kai i tunu.
It was Ataahua who cooked the food.

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

Nā Hera i mahi te parāoa.
Hera made the bread.

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

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

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

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

Nā wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

Nā Ari te papa i tahitahi.
It was Ari who swept the floor.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

Nā māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā Manu te karakia i taki.
It was Manu who recited the prayer.

Nā Amaru i tahitahi te papa.
It was Amaru who swept the floor.

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

Nā wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

Nā Aroha te keke i tunu.
Aroha was the one who baked the cake.

Nā Hēmi i pupuhi te manu.
Hēmi shot the bird.

Nā wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

Nā wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

Nā wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

Nā wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

Nā Honi te parāoa i mahi.
Honi made the bread.

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

Nā wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

haena
iron (clothes)

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

Nā wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

Nā mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

Nā Nikau i āwhina a Taika.
It was Nikau who helped Taika.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

Nā wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

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

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

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