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