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".

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

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

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

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

Honi i pupuhi te manu.
Honi shot the bird.

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

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

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

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

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

Aroha i mahi te parāoa.
Aroha made the bread.

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

Taika ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Taika picked these flowers.

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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.

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

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

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

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

Rangi te parāoa i mahi.
Rangi made the bread.

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

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

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

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

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

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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