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