Māori Grammar

PreviousBack Next
Te Reo Māori Level 1
Commands without e or the passive - Homai! Whakarongo!

If a verb has one or two syllables, when giving a command, the verb is preceeded by e:

E tū!
Stand up!

E noho!
Sit down.

If the verb has three or more syllables, we do not need the e:

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Homai te paoka.
Pass the fork.

Homai tēnā.
Give that (thing) here.

Haere mai ki tipuna whare!
Welcome to your ancestral home!

Titiro ki te waka.
Look at the car.

Hoatu ngā pune.
Pass the spoons (away).

Kua ngaro tāku pene. He nui āu. Tēnā, hōmai tētahi.
I've lost my pen. You've got lots. Give me one please.

Haere atu i konei!
Go away from here!

Homai ringa.
Pass me your hand.

Homai te hopi.
Pass me the soap.

Hōmai tēnā ōku.
Pass me that shoe of mine.

Homai te parāoa.
Pass me the bread.

Waiho te raumamao.
Leave the remote.

Homai tētehi naihi.
Pass me a knife.

Waiho ngā tūru.
Leave the chairs.

Hōmai ngā tote.
Pass me the [bags of] salt.

Homai te tote.
Pass the salt.

Homai te pene.
Pass me the pen.

Homai ki a mātou tōu waka.
Give us your canoe.

Waiho te tāora.
Leave the towel.

Tirohia te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

Hoatu te parāoa.
Pass the bread (away).

Waiho ō kamuputu paru ki waho.
Leave your dirty gumboots outside.

E oma ki a Hēmi!
Run to Hēmi!

E runga i te tūru!
Stand on the chair!

Waiho te raumamao.
Leave the remote

He rahi rawa tēnei wiri, hōmai he mea iti iho.
This drill is too big, pass me a smaller one.

Waiho te hopi.
Leave the soap.

Whakatika i tōu rūma.
Tidy your room.

Homai koa te pata.
Pass me the butter please.

Waiho te rākau nei.
Leave the gearstick alone.

Hoatu he pereti ki a ia.
Give him a plate.

E rua āu āporo. Homai tētahi!
You've got two apples. Give me one!

Homai ki ahau.
Give it to me.

Waiho ō ki te kūaha.
Leave your shoes by the door.

ake!
Stand up!

Waiata!
Sing!

Homai ngā tarau.
Pass me the trousers.

Homai te paukena nui rawa atu!
Give me the biggest pumpkin!

Homai ō koti.
Give me your coats.

Kōrero atu!
Speak out!

Homai hingareti.
Pass me your singlet.

Homai ngā pereti.
Pass me the plates.

Homai tāora.
Give me your towel.

Homai tōna tīhāte.
Give me his t-shirt.

Pātai atu ki hoa.
Ask your friend.

Hoatu tēnei ki a ia.
Give this to him.

Tatari i te kete!
Wait at the gate!

Homai ki a mātou!
Give it to us!

Waiho te wini.
Leave the window alone.

Homai ōu koti.
Give me your coats.

Tēnā homai te huka.
Can you pass me the sugar.

Waiho teina.
Leave your younger sibling

Homai ngā tōkena.
Pass me the socks.

Waiho mātou, te hunga taiohi, ngā mea e kawe.
Leave it to us, the youth, to carry the things.

Hōmai te rākau ki a au.
Give the stick to me.

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

Homai koa tēnā.
Please pass that.

Noho iho!
Sit down!

Homai te tote me te pepa.
Pass the salt and pepper.

Hōmai aku pene!
Give me my pencils!

Hoatu te rākau ki a Mere.
Give the stick to Mere.

Hoatu te pukapuka ki a ia.
Pass the book to him.

Homai ngā paoka me ngā pune.
Pass me the forks and spoons.

Hoatu te paraoa ki a ia.
Pass the bread to her.

Titiro ki te mainga!
Look at the mountain!

Titiro ki te paratuhituhi!
Look at the blackboard!

Homai ngā āporo.
Pass me the apples.

homai te pēpi!
pass the baby!

Hōmai tēnā pene whero.
Give me that red pen (by you).

Homai ō ringaringa.
Give me your hands.

Noho mai i te kūaha!
Sit down here by the door!

Oma atu!
Run away!

Homai tōna pātara.
Pass me his bottle.

Moe mai!
Sleep!

Homai ōna kākahu.
Give me his clothes.

Homai ngā ūkui.
Pass me the wipes.

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

Homai te pēpi
Pass me the baby.

Homai te ūkui.
Pass me the cloth.

Homai te tāora.
Pass me the towel.

Hoatu ēnā taputapu ki a ia.
Give those tools to him.

Waiata ki ngā manuhiri.
Sing to the guests.

Homai ki au.
Give it to me.

Titiro ki te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

Waiho tēnā, koa.
Leave that alone, please.

Hōmai ēnā ōku.
Pass mne those shoes of mine.

Waiho ngā .
Leave the keys.

Homai ngā kākahu.
Pass me the clothes.

Kuhu mai ki roto!
Come inside!

Waiho te mea .
Leave that thing alone.

Hōmai te tote.
Pass me the salt.

Waiho te .
Leave it for later, it'll sink in soon.

Hoatu te hopi ki a ia.
Give him the soap.