Māori Grammar

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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!

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

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

Waiho te rākau nei.
Leave the gearstick alone.

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

Hōmai ēnā ōku.
Pass mne those shoes of mine.

Homai tāora.
Give me your towel.

Titiro ki te mainga!
Look at the mountain!

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

ake!
Stand up!

Kuhu mai ki roto!
Come inside!

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

Tatari i te kete!
Wait at the gate!

Hōmai tēnā ōku.
Pass me that shoe of mine.

Waiho ngā tūru.
Leave the chairs.

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

Whakatika i tōu rūma.
Tidy your room.

Homai ngā pereti.
Pass me the plates.

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

Homai ki au.
Give it to me.

Pātai atu ki hoa.
Ask your friend.

Waiata ki ngā manuhiri.
Sing to the guests.

Noho iho!
Sit down!

E runga i te tūru!
Stand on the chair!

Homai te tote.
Pass the salt.

Homai ngā kākahu.
Pass me the clothes.

Homai ki ahau.
Give it to me.

Waiho te mea .
Leave that thing alone.

Hoatu tēnei ki a ia.
Give this to him.

Homai te paoka.
Pass the fork.

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

Hōmai te tote.
Pass me the salt.

Homai ki a mātou!
Give it to us!

Homai te parāoa.
Pass me the bread.

Titiro ki te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

Waiho teina.
Leave your younger sibling

homai te pēpi!
pass the baby!

Kōrero atu!
Speak out!

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

Hoatu te parāoa.
Pass the bread (away).

Haere atu i konei!
Go away from here!

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

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

Homai te ūkui.
Pass me the cloth.

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

Hoatu ngā pune.
Pass the spoons (away).

Homai ōu koti.
Give me your coats.

Titiro ki te waka.
Look at the car.

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

Homai te tāora.
Pass me the towel.

Homai tōna tīhāte.
Give me his t-shirt.

Homai ngā ūkui.
Pass me the wipes.

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

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

Homai ōna kākahu.
Give me his clothes.

Homai ngā āporo.
Pass me the apples.

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

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

Homai ngā tarau.
Pass me the trousers.

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

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

Homai tēnā.
Give that (thing) here.

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

E oma ki a Rangi!
Run to Rangi!

Waiata!
Sing!

Waiho ngā .
Leave the keys.

Homai ō ringaringa.
Give me your hands.

Homai te pene.
Pass me the pen.

Waiho te hopi.
Leave the soap.

Homai tētehi naihi.
Pass me a knife.

Oma atu!
Run away!

Homai koa te pata.
Pass me the butter please.

Moe mai!
Sleep!

Waiho tēnā, koa.
Leave that alone, please.

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

Tirohia te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

Waiho te wini.
Leave the window alone.

Homai ngā tōkena.
Pass me the socks.

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

Waiho te raumamao.
Leave the remote.

Homai ringa.
Pass me your hand.

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.

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

Titiro ki te paratuhituhi!
Look at the blackboard!

Homai ō koti.
Give me your coats.

Homai te hopi.
Pass me the soap.

Hōmai aku pene!
Give me my pencils!

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

Homai tōna pātara.
Pass me his bottle.

Homai hingareti.
Pass me your singlet.

Homai te pēpi
Pass me the baby.

Homai koa tēnā.
Please pass that.

Waiho te tāora.
Leave the towel.