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