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