Māori Grammar

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Chop the vegetables

Commands using passives

There are some words which describe an action that can be done on its own, without reference to anything else. For example, I can run. The word "run" is known as an "intransitive verb". There other words that describe an action that does relate to something else. While I can say "I am reading" or "I am singing", it is implied that I am reading something or singing something. I might be reading a book or singing a song. These kind of verbs are known as "transitive verbs".

When giving a command to a person to do something, if the verb is transitive, then we use a passive ending. For example:

Pānuihia!
Read!

Because the verb "read" is transitive (we read something), then the passive ending is used to make this word a command. This true of other words that are transitive. 

Riringihia!
Pour!

Kohia ngā parapara.
Collect up the rubbish.

When giving commands, we do not use a passive ending for intransitive verbs. For example, the word "stand" is intransitive and so would simply say: e tu! to give someone the command to stand - it does not take a passive ending.

When giving commands using the passive, we do not use i or ki to identifty the object of the sentence. For example, we would say:

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat

and not:

*Tikina i tō pōtae.*
Fetch your hat

Compare the following, where an active command uses ki but the passive command does not:

Titiro ki te mainga!
Look at the mountain!

Titirohia te mainga!
Look at the mountain!

See also:

• The pseudo-passive - he mea...

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Whakairihia ngā kākahu ki runga i te rākau.
Hang the clothes on the line.

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Haria mai koa te arawhata!
Please bring me the ladder!

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Waiho ō hū ki te kūaha.
Leave your shoes at the door.

Waihotia ngā kai ki runga i te tēpu mō te rā whānau.
Leave the food on the table for the birthday.

Whakarerea ngā tūru ki roto i te rūma hui.
Leave the chairs in the meeting room.

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Whakahokia atu to motokā ki a Aria.
Return the car to Aria.

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Hoatu te huka ki roto i te kāpata.
Put the sugar into the cupboard.

Āwhinatia te ngeru kia piki ki runga i te tūru.
Help the cat climb onto the chair.

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te kuhu i ōna kākahu!
Help your sister put her clothes on!

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

Whakapaingia te whare i mua i te taenga mai o ngā manuhiri.
Clean the house before the guests arrive.

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Puritia ngā taha o te waka kei taka koe!
Hold on to the sides of the waka lest you fall!

Pānuitia te reo Māori ki a koe anō.
Read Māori aloud.

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Haria atu te motokā ki tō Pāora whare.
Take the car to Pāora's house.

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Tiakina a Kauri!
Look after Kauri!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Tīkina atu te pukapuka mai i te tēpu.
Fetch the book from the table.

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Haria ngā tamariki ki te kura i te ata.
Take the children to school in the morning.

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Kātia te kuaha kia kaua e uru mai te hau.
Close the door to prevent the wind from coming in.

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

Pāwhiritia te tohu tīwhiri ka whakautu ai i te pātai.
Click the clue symbol in each box to reveal the question.

Whakatikahia te tēpu mō te kai.
Set the table for the meal.

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Katia te kuaha o te motokā.
Close the car door.

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

Tīkina ngā taputapu i te rūma ki te hanga i te whare.
Fetch the tools from the room to build the house.

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Mauria mai ētahi parāoa parai.,
bring me some fried bread.

Nō wai ēnei hū māwhero?
To whom do these pink shoes belong?

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Tuatahi, horoia ōu ringaringa!
Firstly, wash your hands!

Homai he wai arani māku.
Pass an orange juice for me.

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te whakakākahu i a ia anō!
Help your sister to get herself dressed!

Hoatu ngā pukapuka ki runga i te papa pukapuka.
Put the books on the bookshelf.

Unuhia ki te uru tapu nui!
Draw on the superme sacredness!

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Whakawāteahia he wāhi ki te kāuta.
Clear a space in the kitchen.

Maranga!
Get up!

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Whakahokia ngā rīhi ki te kāpata i muri i te kai.
Return the dishes to the cupboard after the meal.

Whakatikahia ngā mahi i te whare mō te hui.
Prepare the work at the house for the meeting.

Kohimutia mai ki taku taringa.
Whisper it in my ear.

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Ringihia mai te wai ki tāku kapu.
Pour the water into my cup.

Whakahokia mai te motokā ki a au.
Return the car to me.

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Tīkina te waka ki te marae.
Fetch the car from the marae.

Manaakitia ngā manuhiri ki te kai, ki te kōrero.
Look after the guests with food and good conversation.

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!