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