Māori Grammar

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It was Rangi who farted

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:

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".

See also:

• Established possession - nāku, nōku...

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

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

Nā wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

Nā wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

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

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

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

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

Nā wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

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

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

Nā rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

Nāu te keke i tunu.
You were the one 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 wai ō kākahu i horoi i tērā wiki?
Who washed the clothes last week?

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

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

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

Nā mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

Nā te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

Nā Aria i pupuhi te manu.
Aria shot the bird.

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

Nāna i tiki ngā tamariki i te kura.
It was him/her who picked up the children from school.

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.

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

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

Nā Taika ngā keke nā i tunu.
Taika cooked those cakes (near you).

Nā māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

Nā wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

Nā wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

Nā wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

Nā wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

Nā wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

Nā wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

Nā Hera te karakia i taki.
It was Hera who recited the prayer.

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

Nā Honi te keke i tunu.
Honi was the one who baked the cake.

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

haena
iron (clothes)

Nā wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

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

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

Nā Koa i āwhina a Mia.
It was Koa who helped Mia.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nā wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

Nā Kauri te papa i tahitahi.
It was Kauri who swept the floor.

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.

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

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

Nā Ari ngā kai i tunu.
It was Ari who cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

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

Nā tō rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

Nā rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

Nā Tawa ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Tawa picked these flowers.

Nā wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

Nā Pāora te parāoa i mahi.
Pāora made the bread.

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

Nā rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

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

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

Nā wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

Nā Manu i mahi te parāoa.
Manu made the bread.

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

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

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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