Māori Grammar

Commands using the passive - Tāpirihia, Tīkina...

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!

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Chop the vegetables

Commands using passives

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

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

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

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

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

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

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

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

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

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

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

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

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

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

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

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

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

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

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

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

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

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.

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Tiakina a Rangi!
Look after Rangi!

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

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

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

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

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

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

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

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

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

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

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

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

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

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

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

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

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

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

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

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

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

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

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

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

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

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Maranga!
Get up!

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

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

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

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

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

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

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

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

Maranga mai!
Get up!

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

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

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

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

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

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

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

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

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!