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".

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

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

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

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

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

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

Niko ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Niko picked these flowers.

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

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

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

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

Aria te parāoa i mahi.
Aria made the bread.

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

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

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

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

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

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

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

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

Mia i āwhina a Nikau.
It was Mia who helped Nikau.

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

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

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

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

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

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

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

rāua i whawhai ki ngā pirihimana.
It was them (two) who fought with the police.

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

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

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.

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

Hēmi i pupuhi te manu.
Hēmi shot the bird.

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

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

Ataahua i mahi te parāoa.
Ataahua made the bread.

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

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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?

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

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