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