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".

Nā rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

Nā wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

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

Nā wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

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

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