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".

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

Taika i āwhina a Amaru.
It was Taika who helped Amaru.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

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

Manu i mahi te parāoa.
Manu made the bread.

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

Koa ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Koa picked these flowers.

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

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

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

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

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

Aria i pupuhi te manu.
Aria shot the bird.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

Rangi te parāoa i mahi.
Rangi made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

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

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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 kai i whakarite i tēnei ?
Who was the one who prepared food today?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

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

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

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

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

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