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