Māori Grammar

▶

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...

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

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

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

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

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

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

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

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

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

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

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

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

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

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

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

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

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!

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

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

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

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

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

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

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

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

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

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

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

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

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

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

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

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

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

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

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

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

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

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

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

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

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

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

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

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

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

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

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

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

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

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

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

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

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

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

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

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

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

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

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

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

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

Maranga!
Get up!

Tiakina a Aroha!
Look after Aroha!

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

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

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

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

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

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!