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