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