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".

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

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

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

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

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

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

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

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

Tame ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Tame picked these flowers.

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

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

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

Ari i mahi te parāoa.
Ari made the bread.

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

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

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

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

Ataahua te parāoa i mahi.
Ataahua made the bread.

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

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rangi i pupuhi te manu.
Rangi shot the bird.

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

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

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

Koa te keke i tunu.
Koa 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?

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

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

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