Māori Grammar

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It was Rangi who farted

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:

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".

See also:

• Established possession - nāku, nōku...
• Negating the past agent emphatic - ehara i...

Nā Ari ngā kai i tunu.
It was Ari who cooked the food.

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

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

Nā rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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?

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

Nā wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

Nā te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

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

Nā Nikau te karakia i taki.
It was Nikau who recited the prayer.

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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.

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

Nā wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

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

Nā Amaru te papa i tahitahi.
It was Amaru who swept the floor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

Nā wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

Nā Taika te keke i tunu.
Taika was the one who baked the cake.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

Nā wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

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

Nā Rangi ngā keke nā i tunu.
Rangi cooked those cakes (near you).

Nā Honi ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Honi picked these flowers.

Nā wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

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

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

Nā māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

Nā wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

Nā tō rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā Pita te parāoa i mahi.
Pita made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā Tawa i mahi te parāoa.
Tawa made the bread.

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

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

Nā wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

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

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

Nā rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

Nā wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

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

Nā mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

Nā wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

Nā Aroha i āwhina a Kauri.
It was Aroha who helped Kauri.

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

Nā Koa i tahitahi te papa.
It was Koa who swept the floor.

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

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

Nā Aria i pupuhi te manu.
Aria shot the bird.

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

Nā rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.