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...

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Ari ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Ari picked these flowers.

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

Nā rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā Ataahua i āwhina a Aroha.
It was Ataahua who helped Aroha.

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

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

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

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

Nā te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

Nā wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

Nā wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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