Māori Grammar

Statives - mate, ngaro, mau...

Statives are a family of verbs that have their own sentence stucture and can be confusing.

In a typical sentence without a stative, we have a subject (a person who is doing something) and an object (the thing that is having something done to it). For example, in the sentence "the boy drank the milk", the subject of the sentence is the boy (the one doing the drinking) and the object is the milk (the thng being drunk). In te reo we mark the object of the sentence with i or ki.

I inu te tama i te miraka.
The boy drank the milk.

In a stative sentence, it may seem that the subject and the object of the sentence are reversed. The word pau is a stative and means "consumed". To say "the boy consumed the milk" we would say:

I pau te miraka i te tama.
The boy consumed the milk.

Note that the paticle i now preceeds "the boy" rather than "the milk". The subject of the sentence is actually the milk and the obkect of the sentence, marked by i is the boy. This can be rather confusing!

Literally, the sentence means "the milk was consumed by the boy". If we were to put the particle i where you might expect, you would create a nonsensical sentence:

*I pau te tama i te miraka.*
The boy was consumed by the milk.

Another stative that can also confusing is pakaru, meaning "to be broken".

*I pakaru au i te matapihi.*
I was broken by the window.

I pakaru te matapihi i a au.
The window was broken by me.

The sentence should make sense if we remove the object, for example:

I pakaru te matapihi.
The window was broken.

I pau te miraka.
The milk was consumed.

Kua mahue ia.
She was left behind.

We can then add the object of the sentence, marked by i which will tell us who did the breaking, the consuming, or thing that left her behind:

I pakaru te matapihi i au.
The window was broken by me.

I pau te miraka i ngā tamariki.
The milk was consumed by the children.

Kua mahue ia i te tereina.
She was left behind by the train.

The following words are statives:

ea - to be settled
hinga - fallen down
hora - to be spread out
hū - to boil
kī - to be full
māhu - be floating
mahue - left behind
mākona - satisfied
māngare – to be lazy
maringi – to be spilt
mate – to be unwell; to be dead
mātaotao - to be cool
mau – to be used caught, grasped
māuiui - sick
mokemoke - to be lonely
motu - to be broken
mutu – to be finished or to be finished for the time being
ngaro – to be lost, to be absent
ora – to be well; to be alive; to be saved
oti – to be completed
pakaru – to be broken, to be shattered
pau – to be used up, consumed, all gone
reri - ready
riro – to be obtained, acquired
tata - almost nearly
tū - hit, wounded
tūreiti - to be late
tutuki – to be realised, fulfilled, achieved
wareware – to be forgotten
whara - to be wounded, hurt
whati - to be snapped

Statives can only be used with the tense markers ka, i and kua. Stative sentences with ka can either be past, present or future:

Ka māuiui au.
I was sick.
I am sick.
I will be sick.

Ka whākina koe.
I am going to tell on you.

Kua pānuitia taua pukapuka e au.
I have read that (aforementioned) book.

I rurukutia ngā hokonga e ia.
The purchases were wrapped by him.

Kei te arohaina te tamaiti e tōna whaea.
The child is loved by his mother.

Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.

Kua tangohia nā hū e tōnā matua.
His shoes have been removed by his father.

Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rain

I pēhia rawatia ngā wāhine.
The women were severely oppressed.

Ka manaakitia te harakeke e au.
The flax will be looked after by me.

E kimihia ana he tikanga.
A plan is/was being sought.

E waiatatia ana ngā waiata e ngā tauira.
The songs are being sung by the students.

I horoia tōna waka e Pita.
His car was washed by Peter.

Kotahi te poaka e pūhia ana a te Mane.
One pig will be shot on Monday.

Kua tuhia te reta e Hine.
The letter has been written by Hine.

Ka ahatia koe?
What will happen to you?

Ka puhia ia i te manu.
He shot the bird.

I kohia ngā pipi e au.
I gathered the pipi.

Kua tonoa kētia atu ngā pānui e mātou.
The notices have already been sent out by us (3/+ exclusive).

Ka patua ia e te tamaiti rahi.
He was hit by the big boy.

Ka numia ki te pakitara maui o waho o te whare.
And led him past the outside of the left wall of the house.

E inumia ana te miraka e te ngeru.
The milk is being drunk by the cat.

I patua te rango e te tangata.
The fly was hit by the man.

I mihia e ahau.
They were acknowledged by me.

Kei te wetekia a Tame e tona hoa.
Tame is being untied by his friend.

I whakanohoia ahau i te kāinga.
I was grounded.

I kōrerohia te pūrākau ki te reo Māori.
They story was told in the Māori language.

E waiatatia ana ngā waiata e ngā tauira.
The songs are being sung by the students.

I titoa te waiata nei e Jeff Simmonds.
This song was composed by Jeff Simmonds.

Ka horoia ngā kākahu mā e ia.
The white clothes will be washed by him.

Kei te āwhinatia te hoa e au.
The friend is being helped by me.

Kua kikia te pāora e Aroha to Mia.
The ball was kicked by Aroha to Mia.

Kei te kōrertia e au.
It is being spoken by me.

I whāngaihia te tamaiti e tana kuia.
The child was adopted by his grandmother.

Kei te kimihia he whare mō te kura.
A house is being sought for the school.

I patua te kurī e te tamaiti.
The dog was hit by the child.

I te ngahuru i hauhaketia e rātou ngā riwai.
In the autumn, they harvested potatoes.

Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?

Kua horoia ngā rīhi e ngā tamariki.
The dishes have been washed by the children.

I whakatōkia ngā tipu e te paruauru.
The seedlings were planted by the gardener.

I whakairotia a mua o te whare.
The front of the house was carved.

I kainga katoatia te kai.
The food was all eaten up.

I kainga katoatia te hākari.
The feast was all eaten up.

Ka tuwherahia te tatau e te kaiako.
The door will be opened by the teacher.

Kua kōrerohia e ia tēnei pukapuka.
He has read this book right through.

Ka whakapaingia te papa e ngā tamariki.
The floor will be cleaned by the children.

Kua kimihia e ia āna kī i ngā wāhi katoa.
He has searched everywhere for his keys. (Literally, his keys have been searched for everywhere.).

I huakina te kūwaha e te kōtiro.
The door was opened by the girl.

E nekehia ana ngā pouaka e ngā tamariki.
The boxes are being moved by the children.

I pātaitia au.
I was questioned.

E tapatapahia ana ngā aniana e ia.
The onions are being diced by him.

Mehemea ki te kore e matu tō makamaka i te pāore, ka tangohia e au.
If you don't stop playing with the ball, I'll take it away.

Kua waiatatia te waiata e māua.
The song has been sung by us.

Kāore anō tēnei pānui kia pānuitia e au.
I have not yet read this notice.

I taupokitia te oneone e te paruauru.
The soil was dug by the gardener.

E kōrerotia ana te karakia e te wahine.
The prayer is being spoken by the woman.

E kimihia ana he tikanga e ngā āpiha.
A plan is being sought by the officials.

Mahia ai tēnei mahi i ngā rā omua.
This work was carried out in former times.

Ka haria ngā tamariki e au ki te papa tākaro.
The children will be taken by me to the playground.

I horoia ngā kākahu e au i tērā Rāhoroi.
The clothes were washed by me on Saturday.

Ka pīrangitia e ia ngā mea katoa.
All the things are wanted by him.

Kei te whitia au e te rā.
I am being shone on by the sun.

I whāngaihia ia e ōna kaumātua.
She was adopted her grandparents.

Kua waiatatia te waiata e ngā tauira.
The song was sung by the students.

Kua tīkina ngā kākahu horoi e ngā tamariki.
The clean clothes have been fetched by the children.

Ka tāria te waka e ngā kaiako.
The car will be waited for by the teachers.

Ka pūhia e ia te manu.
The bird was shot by him.

Ka tukua te kurī e au.
The dog was released by me.

Patua aku kupu!
Prove me wrong!

Kua kainga te parāoa e ngā rakiraki.
The bread has been eaten by the ducks.

I hoea te waka e ngā manuhiri ki te motu.
The boat was paddled by the guests to the island.

I hoea te waka e ngā manuhiri ki te motu.
The boat was paddled by the guests to the island.

Tapaia tonutia atu taua maunga nei ko Tirirau.
That mountain is still called Tihirua.

I kōhurutia te tangata ki te awa.
The man was murdered at the river.

I pōwhitritia mātou.
We were welcomed.

Mā te kōrerotia i ngā wā katoa e ora ai te reo.
It is through being spoken all the time that the language will survive.

Ka kimihia tētahi tikanga, e kitea ai he moni.
A plan will be sought whereby money will be found.

I huakina e te kōtiro te kūwaha.
The door was opened by the girl.

E whāngaihia ana ngā kurī e Tame.
The dogs are being fed by Tame.

I kohia ngā pipi e au.
I gathered the pipi.

Kua tākarohia e mātou ngā kēmu e rua.
We've played the two games.

I utaina e au ngā kākahu ki roto i te mīhini horoi.
The clothes were loaded into the washing machine by me.

Nō muri tata mai ka whakamihia ia mō āna mahi.
Shortly afterwards she was acknowledged for what she'd done.

Whitiwhitia e te rā.
Transformed by the sun.

I wepu mātou.
We thrashed them.

I pōwhitritia mātou e Ngāti Toa.
We were welcomed by Ngāti Toa.

Ka whakatauria te kēmu e te kaiwawao.
The game will be decided by the referee.

I herua ōku makawe e tōku hoa.
My hair was combed by my friend.

Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass has been cut by me.

E kainga ana ngā rīwai e te pēpi.
The potatoes are being eaten by the baby.

Kei te tangohia ōna hū e Makere.
Her shoes are being removed by Makere.

Ka mutu ngā karakia a Te Aotaki ka werohia e ia a Rangipopo.
Te Aotaki finished his incantations and then he invoked Rangipopo.

Ka tohia te āporo e Mere.
The apple will be picked by Mere.

Kei te whāia te pōro e ngā tamariki.
The ball is being chased by the children,

Kei te kōrerohia te kaupapa e te kaiako.
The topic is being discussed by the teacher.

I whakatūngia ahau e te pirihimana.
I was stopped by the police officer.

Ka mahia he waka mō tekau tāngata,.
A ten-man canoe was made.

I whiria te tū harakeke e te kuia.
The flax belt was braided by the old woman.

Kitea rawatia ake rāua i runga i te maunga.
They were finally seen on the mountain.

I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.

Kua haria haeretia ngā kōhatu ki te moana.
The stones have been progressively carried to the sea.

I wepua e mātou.
We thrashed them.

I hokona ngā ika e ia.
The fish were bought by him.

Kei te tahia te papa e ia.
The floor is being swept by him/her.

Kāhore tēnei kete i rarangatia ki te raupō.
This kit was not woven out of bulrushes.

Kua inumia te miraka e te tamaiti.
The milk has been drunk by the child.

Kei te awhitia te pēpi e tōna māmā.
The girl is being hugged by her mother.

Kua mahia e Taika he kapu tī mā rātou.
Taika has made them a cup of tea.

Ka horoia ngā rīhi e ngā tama ā te pō nei.
The dishes will be washed by the boys tonight.

Kua kohia e ia ētahi waiata tawhito.
Some ancient songs have been collected by him.

Ka patua te ngeru e te kurī.
The cat will be attacked by the dog.

Ka mihia mātou e te tangata whenua.
We were greeted by the home people.

E kimihia ana te kiore e te ngeru.
The cat is searching for the rat.

Ka mea atu ia ki a Mea kia meatia ngā mea katoa ki mea wāhi.
She told so-and-so to put all the things in such-and-such a place.

Ka horoia ngā kākahu mā e ia.
The white clothes will be washed by him.

Kei te whakatikangia tōku waka e taku pāpā.
My car is being fixed by my father.

I mahia e ia he taonga wheua mō te rau tāra.
He made a bone pendant worth one hundred dollars.

Ka karapotia te pā o Mātakiora.
The pā of Mōtakiora was surrounded.

I hokona ngā ika e ia.
The fish were bought by him.

E tapatapahia ana ngā aniana e ia.
The onions are being diced by him.

Ka whāngaitioa ringaringatia hoki a Ruataupare e tētahi tohunga.
Ruataupere was also fed by hand by a tohunga.

Kua hokona ngā hū e Hōne.
The shoes were bought by Hōne.

Kua ahatia koe?
What has happened to you?

Kua tirohia ngā tāonga e ngā tauira.
The treasures have been looked at by the students.

Kei pāngia ia e te rūmātiki.
He might get rheumatism.

I ahatia koe?
What happened to you?

I mahia e ia te wini me ana ringa paruparu.
He mended the window with dirty hands.

I ngaua te tangata e to kurī.
The man was bitten by the dog.

Kei te torohia e te kairangahau ngā pukapuka.
The books are being looked at by the researcher.

I utaina e au ngā kākahu ki roto i te mīhini horoi.
The clothes were loaded into the washing machine by me.

Ka tangihia ngā mate e tātou.
The deceased will be bereaved by us.

Kei te kōrerotia ia e te kuramāhita.
She is being spoken to by the headmaster.

I whakatikahia te waka hei painga mō te haere.
The car was fixed for the benefit of the trip.

I tāia ia e te moe.
He was overcome by sleep.

Ka whakatikahia te whare e ngā kaimahi.
The house will be fixed by the workers.

Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass was cut by me.

I ngā rā o mua, kāore tēnei mahi e mahia ana e ngā Māori o Te Kaha.
Formerly, this activity was not performed by the Māori people of Te Kaha.

Ka rāhuitia ēnei tauranga ika mā Ngāti-Kahukoka.
These fishing grounds were set aside for Ngāti-Kahukoka.

Kia tae atu tātou ki Te Tairāwhitio, ka pōhiritia tātou.
When we get to the East Coast we will be welcomed.

Hāponotia tōku hē!
Prove me wrong!

Kei te whakaaronga e ia.
It is being thought about by her.

Kua kōrerotia te tamaiti e tōna kaiako.
The child has been spoken to by his/her teacher.

Kei te ahatia koe?
What is happening to you?

Kei whaia koe e te kurī.
You might get chased by the dog.

I tīkina te māripi e ia, kātahi ka tapahi ia i te pāua.
He fetched the knife, then he chopped the pāua.

Muri iho ka whakaarahia e ia ōna hoa koroheke o roto i te whare ki te mātakitaki ki te ātaahuatanga o tana wahine.
Afterwars, his old cronies in the house were roused by him to gaze at the beauty of his wife.

Kei te waiata mātou.
We are singing.

Tokohia ngā tāngata i tae atu ki reira?
How many people arrived there?

Ka inumia te miraka e koe.
The milk will be drunk by you.

Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?

I mātakitakitua e au tērā hōtaka i tētrā wikil.
That programme was watched by me last week.

Ka āwhinatia a Nikau e Pita.
Nikau was helped by Pita.

Ke tukuna e Wairangi tana taurekareka ki a Pare-whete.
His servant was sent by Wairangi to Para-whete.

Kei te karangatia te ope e te wahine.
The group is being called by the woman.

Kua pāngia taua wahine e te mate.
That woman has been touched by sickness.

Kua kauhoetia e ia te awa.
She has swum the river.

I whakaakona ngā tamariki e te kaiako.
The children were taught by the teacher.

Kua whakapukapukakangia ā tātou kōrero.
Our talk has been turned into a book.

Ka whāngaitia ringaringatia hoki a Ruataupare e tētehai tohunga.
Ruataupare was also fed by hand by a tohunga.

Kei te tākarohia te pōro e ngā tamariki.
The ball is being played with by the children.

Kua inumia ā tātou waireka.
Our fizzy drinks have all been drunk.

Ki te kitea noatia e tētahi tangata mea...
If someone just sees something...

I utaina e au ngā kai ki roto i te torore.
The food was loaded into the trolley by me.

Ka nōhia ngā tūru.
The chairs will be sat on.

I pōkia te rangi e ngā kapua.
They sky was covered over by the clouds.

Ka hangaia te whare e au.
The house is built by me.

I patua e au.
It was hit by me.

E mōhiotia whānuitia ana a Te Puea Hērangi e ngā tāngata Māori o te motu.
Te Puea Hērangi is widely known by Māori people from all over the land.

I te mutunga iho, ka whakaaetia e te katoa.
In the end, it was agreed to unanimously.

Kua haerea te ara ra.
That pathway has been travelled.

E takahia ana te whenua e ngā waewae o ngā manuhiri.
The ground is trodden on by the feet of the visitors.

I āta wāhia te wini e Ari.
Ari broke the window deliberately.

Kawea tētehi puka iti ki ngā wāhi kei reira te reo Māori e kōrerohia ana, tuhia ngā kupu me ngā kīanga ka rangona.
Bring a small book with you to the places where the Māori language is spoken, write down the words and phrases that are heard.

Kei te topea te rākau e ia.
The tree was felled (by him).

I aukatingia ahau e te pirihimana.
I was stopped by the police officer.

I taiāwhiotia te whare i te ture.
The house was surrounded by the police.

Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass has been cut by me.

Kua haria ngā pouaka e au.
The boxes have been carried by me.

I tomokia te pā e ngā toa.
The pā was entered by the warriors.

Ka tunua te keke.
The cake will be cooked.

I patua au.
I was hit.

E tahia ana e Manu te papa.
The floor was swept by Manu.

Kua tāria koe e au.
You have been waited for by me.

Kei te tāia te pepa e te kaituhi.
The paper is being printed by the author.

Kia kauwhautia atu iana, e ahau, ki a koe.
Let me know recite this to you.

I hokona ngā rare rā e ia i taina hi.
Those lollies were purchased by her yesterday.

Kua kimihia tāna waea pūkoro i ngā wāhi katoa.
His cell phone has been searched for everywhere.

Kua whakakopaina ngā pūhera e ngā kaihoko.
The parcels have been wrapped by the shop assistants.

I nukuhia e au ngā ahi wera mai i ngā kōhatu ki te pouaka ki tōku hawera.
The hot ashes were moved by me from the stones to the box with my shovel.

E whitia ana au e te rā.
I am being shone on by the sun.

I āwhinatia rātou e mātou ko aku tēina.
They were helped by me and my younger siblings.

Ka pōwhiritia te manuhiri e te tangata whenua.
The visitors will be welcomed by the local people.

Haria ngā kākahu ki waho kia whitia ai e te rā.
Take the clothes outside so that they can be shone on by the sun

Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.

Kua patua ahau.
I have been hit.

Kei te kōrerohia a Honi te pūrākau.
The story is being told by Honi.

Ka hokona te taonga e koe.
The gift will be bought by you.

I te pānuitia te kupu.
The message was being read out.

I hiroia e Hera ngā pereti.
The dishes were washed by Hera.

Kei te kōrertia au.
I am being spoken about.

Kua whāngaia te ngeru e a Rangi.
The cat was fed by Rangi.

Kua whakamāramatia te mahi e te kaiako ki ngā tamariki.
The work has been explained to the children by the teacher.

I herua ōku makawe.
My hair was combed.

I pokea au e te mahi!
I am overwhelmed by the work!

Kei te kitea te kōtiro e tōna māmā.
The girl is being seen by her mother.

He marama pai a Hōngongoi kia kokotia ngā rōhi.
July is a good month to prune the roses.

I arohaina a Hēmi e Kauri.
Hēmi was loved by Kauri.

Kei te whakaaronga ia.
He is being thought about.

E tirohia ana ngā taonga tākaro ki te toa e ngā tamariki.
The toys in the shop are being looked at by the children.

Ka kīia te wharepaku e ngā manuhiri.
The bathroom will be used by the guests.

Kua mahia te mahi e ngā tamariki.
The work was done by the children.

I tuhia tētahi reta e ia ki tōna hoa.
The letter was written by her to her sweetheart.

Auē, kua rakahia te whare? Nā wai i raka te whare? Ehara i a au.
Oh no! Has the house been locked? Who locked the house? It wasn't me.

Ke rāhuitia ēnei tauranga ike mā Ngāti-Kahukoka.
These fishing grounds were set aside for Ngāti-Kahukoka.

Kua inumia ā tātou waireka e ngā pakeke.
Our soft drinks have been drunk by the adults.

I kainga te keke e Mere.
The cake was eaten by Mere.

I mihia ahau.
I was acknowledged.

E whakamākūtia ana ngā kākahu e te ua.
The clothes are being drenched by the rain.

Ka arohaina te iwi e Te Atua.
The people will be looked after by God.

I runga i te paruone ka mahia e ia he raina mai i te kēti ki te whare ki tana rākau.
He drew a line in the dirt from the gate to the house with his stick.

I wepua mātou.
We were thrashed.

Kei te whakaaro ia.
He is thinking.

Kei te waiatahia mātou.
We are being sung about.

Kei te riro te mōhiohio e te pirihimana.
The information is being received by the policeman.

He tūranga motuhake tō te reo Māori i waenganui i ngā reo e kōrerotia ana i Aotearoa nei.
Māori has a special position amongst the languages spoken here in Aotearoa.

Kei te waiatahia e mātou.
It is being sung by us.

Kei te tunua te kai ki te ahi.
The food is being cooked by fire.

Kua pānuitia taua pukapuka e au.
That aforementioned book has been read by me.

I topea te rākau e Rōpata.
The tree was cut by Bob.