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".

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

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

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

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

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

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

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

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

Tawa te parāoa i mahi.
Tawa made the bread.

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

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

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

Tame i pupuhi te manu.
Tame shot the bird.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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.

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

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

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

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

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

Pita i mahi te parāoa.
Pita made the bread.

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

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

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

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

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

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

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

Kauri i āwhina a Nikau.
It was Kauri who helped Nikau.

Aroha ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Aroha picked these flowers.

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

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

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

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

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

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

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

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

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

haena
iron (clothes)

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

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

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

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

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