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".

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

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

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

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

Pita ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Pita picked these flowers.

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

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

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

Rangi i mahi te parāoa.
Rangi made the bread.

Tawa i pupuhi te manu.
Tawa shot the bird.

Koa te parāoa i mahi.
Koa made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

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

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

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

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

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

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

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

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

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.