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