Māori Grammar

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Te Reo Māori Level 3
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:

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.

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".

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

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

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

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

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

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

Kauri i tahitahi te papa.
It was Kauri who swept the floor.

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

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

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

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

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

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

Taika ngā keke i tunu.
Taika cooked those cakes (near you).

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

Rangi te parāoa i mahi.
Rangi made the bread.

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

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

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

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

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

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

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

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

Aroha tōku whare i hanga.
It was Aroha who built my house.

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

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

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

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

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

Hera i āwhina a Pita.
It was Hera who helped Pita.

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

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

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

Pāora ngā kai i tunu.
It was Pāora who cooked the food.

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

Manu te papa i tahitahi.
It was Manu who swept the floor.

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

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

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

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

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

Hēmi i pupuhi te manu.
Hēmi shot the bird.

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

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

Niko te karakia i taki.
It was Niko who recited the prayer.

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

Aria ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Aria picked these flowers.

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

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

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

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

Honi i mahi te parāoa.
Honi made the bread.

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mia te keke i tunu.
Mia was the one who baked the cake.

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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