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".

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

Manu i āwhina a Aroha.
It was Manu who helped Aroha.

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ari i mahi te parāoa.
Ari made the bread.

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

Tame ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Tame picked these flowers.

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

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

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

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

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

Pita i pupuhi te manu.
Pita shot the bird.

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

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

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

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

Nikau te parāoa i mahi.
Nikau made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

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

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

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

haena
iron (clothes)

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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.

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

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

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.

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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