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...

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

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

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

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

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

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

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

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

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Tiakina a Rangi!
Look after Rangi!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

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

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

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

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

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

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

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

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

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

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

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

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

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

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

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

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

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

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

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

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

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

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

Maranga mai!
Get up!

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

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

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

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

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

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

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

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

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

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

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

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

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

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

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

Maranga!
Get up!

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

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

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

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

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