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".

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

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

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

Hera i mahi te parāoa.
Hera made the bread.

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

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

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

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

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

Amaru i āwhina a Mia.
It was Amaru who helped Mia.

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

Hēmi ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Hēmi picked these flowers.

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

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

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

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

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

Koa te parāoa i mahi.
Koa made the bread.

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

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

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

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nikau i pupuhi te manu.
Nikau shot the bird.

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

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

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

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

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

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

haena
iron (clothes)

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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