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".

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

Tame i mahi te parāoa.
Tame made the bread.

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

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

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

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

Taika ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Taika picked these flowers.

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

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

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

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

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

Niko te parāoa i mahi.
Niko made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

Hera i pupuhi te manu.
Hera shot the bird.

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

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

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.

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

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

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

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

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

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

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

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

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

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

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

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

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

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

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