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...
• Negating the past agent emphatic - ehara i...

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

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

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

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

Nā wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

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

Nā te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

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

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

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

Nā wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

Nā rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

Nā Koa ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Koa picked these flowers.

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

Nā Hera i āwhina a Pāora.
It was Hera who helped Pāora.

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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