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".

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

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

Kauri i pupuhi te manu.
Kauri shot the bird.

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

Tame ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Tame picked these flowers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tawa i mahi te parāoa.
Tawa made the bread.

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

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

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

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

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

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

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

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

Amaru te parāoa i mahi.
Amaru made the bread.

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

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

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

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

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

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

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

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

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

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.

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?