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".

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

Honi ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Honi picked these flowers.

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

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

Mia i mahi te parāoa.
Mia made the bread.

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

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

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

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

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

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

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

Niko te parāoa i mahi.
Niko made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rangi i pupuhi te manu.
Rangi shot the bird.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

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

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

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

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