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