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...

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

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

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

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

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

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

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Whakarewa!
Melt!

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

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

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

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

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

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

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

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

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

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

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

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

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

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

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

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

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

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

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

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

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

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Tiakina a Niko!
Look after Niko!

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

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

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

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

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

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

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

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

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

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Maranga!
Get up!

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

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

Whakarongo!
Listen!

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

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

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

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

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

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

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

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

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

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

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

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

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

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

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

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

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

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

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.