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...

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

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

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

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

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

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

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

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

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

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

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

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

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

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

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

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

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

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

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

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

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

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

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

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

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

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

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

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

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

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

Hoatu te tuna ki te pēke!
Put the eel in the sack!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

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

Maranga mai!
Get up!

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

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

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

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

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

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

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

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

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

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

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

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

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

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

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

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

Maranga!
Get up!

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

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

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

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

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

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

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

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Tiakina a Taika!
Look after Taika!

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

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

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

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Horoia ngā kanohi o ngā tamariki nohinohi!
Wash the little children's faces!

Kei te whakatikaina te waka.
The car is being fixed.

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

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

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

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

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

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.