Māori Grammar

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:

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".

▶

It was Rangi who farted

nā - agent emphatic

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā tātou te waiata i waiata.
We were the ones who sang the song.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

Nā wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

Nā rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

Nā wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

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

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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 rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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 wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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