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