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