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