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".

mātou te kai i tunu.
We cooked the food.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku te parāoa i mahi.
I made the bread.

Nāu te whare i whakapai.
You cleaned the house.

wai taku wai i inu?
Who drank my water?

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

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

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

Pāora ēnei putiputi i katokato.
Pāora picked these flowers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai te pūhā i kato?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

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

Rangi i mahi te parāoa.
Rangi made the bread.

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

wai ngā pereti i horoi?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai te kai i tunu?
Who cooked for food?

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

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

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

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

Nāku te waka i horoi.
I washed the car.

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

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

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

wai i horoi ngā pereti?
Who washed the plates?

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

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

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

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

wai taku motokā whakapai?
Who cleaned my car?

māua ngā tamariki i tiki.
We got the kids.

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

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

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

wai i mahi te parāoa?
Who made the bread?

Nāku te whare i whakapai.
I cleaned the house.

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

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

Nāku tēnei kete.
This kit is mine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou i kawe te patu.
They carried weapons.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāku ngā pereti i horoi.
I washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nāu ngā pereti i horoi.
You washed the plates.

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

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

rātou ngā manuhiri i pōhiri.
They welcomed the guests.

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

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

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

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

Pita i pupuhi te manu.
Pita shot the bird.

Tame te parāoa i mahi.
Tame made the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

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

rātou ngā pereti i horoi.
They washed the plates.

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

wai te papa i tahitahi?
Who swept the floor?

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

rātou i horoi ngā pereti.
They washed the plates.

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

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

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

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

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

Nāna te parāoa i tunu.
He baked the bread.

Nāku i tunu te kai.
I cooked the food.

wai te parāoa i mahi?
Who made the bread?

wai tēnā i mahi?
Who did that?

Nāna te whare i whakapai.
She cleaned the house.

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

wai i kato te pūhā?
Who picked the pūhā?

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

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

wai te whare i whakatika?
Who fixed the house?

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

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

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

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

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

rātou māmā.
It was their mother who did it.

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

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

Nāna te kai i tunu.
He cooked the food.

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

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

te kāmura.
It was done by the carpenter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wai ngā rihi i horoi?
Who washed the dishes?

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

haena
iron (clothes)

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

wai rātou i nanaaki?
Who looked after them?

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

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