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 kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

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

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

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

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

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

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

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

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

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

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

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

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

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

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

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

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

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

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

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!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

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

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

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

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

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

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

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

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

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

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

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

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

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

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

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

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

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

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

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

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

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

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

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

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

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

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

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

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

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Maranga!
Get up!

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

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

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

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Tiakina a Rangi!
Look after Rangi!

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

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

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

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

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

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

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

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

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

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

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

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!