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!

Noho iho!
Sit down!

Tirohia te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

Homai te parāoa.
Pass me the bread.

Homai ngā āporo.
Pass me the apples.

Waiata ki ngā manuhiri.
Sing to the guests.

Homai te paoka.
Pass the fork.

Pātai atu ki hoa.
Ask your friend.

Waiho te wini.
Leave the window alone.

Homai te pēpi
Pass me the baby.

Waiho te hopi.
Leave the soap.

Titiro ki te paratuhituhi!
Look at the blackboard!

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

Homai tētehi naihi.
Pass me a knife.

Homai ringa.
Pass me your hand.

Homai ngā kākahu.
Pass me the clothes.

Homai tēnā.
Give that (thing) here.

homai te pēpi!
pass the baby!

Homai ki ahau.
Give it to me.

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

Homai ō koti.
Give me your coats.

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

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

Moe mai!
Sleep!

Whakatika i tōu rūma.
Tidy your room.

Waiho ngā tūru.
Leave the chairs.

Homai koa te pata.
Pass me the butter please.

Waiho te raumamao.
Leave the remote

Kōrero atu!
Speak out!

Homai tāora.
Give me your towel.

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

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

Homai ngā tōkena.
Pass me the socks.

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

Titiro ki te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

Homai ngā ūkui.
Pass me the wipes.

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

Hōmai ēnā ōku.
Pass mne those shoes of mine.

Homai ō ringaringa.
Give me your hands.

Homai te tāora.
Pass me the towel.

Hoatu te parāoa.
Pass the bread (away).

Tatari i te kete!
Wait at the gate!

Homai tōna tīhāte.
Give me his t-shirt.

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

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 ki au.
Give it to me.

Homai tōna pātara.
Pass me his bottle.

E runga i te tūru!
Stand on the chair!

Homai te pene.
Pass me the pen.

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

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

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

Waiho ngā .
Leave the keys.

Hōmai tēnā ōku.
Pass me that shoe of mine.

Homai koa tēnā.
Please pass that.

Homai ōu koti.
Give me your coats.

Waiho te rākau nei.
Leave the gearstick alone.

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.

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

Hoatu ngā pune.
Pass the spoons (away).

Kuhu mai ki roto!
Come inside!

ake!
Stand up!

Homai ōna kākahu.
Give me his clothes.

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

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

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

Waiho teina.
Leave your younger sibling

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

Homai te ūkui.
Pass me the cloth.

E oma ki a Koa!
Run to Koa!

Homai ngā pereti.
Pass me the plates.

Titiro ki te waka.
Look at the car.

Titiro ki te mainga!
Look at the mountain!

Oma atu!
Run away!

Waiho tēnā, koa.
Leave that alone, please.

Waiho te mea .
Leave that thing alone.

Homai te tote.
Pass the salt.

Hōmai aku pene!
Give me my pencils!

Homai te hopi.
Pass me the soap.

Homai ki a mātou!
Give it to us!

Waiata!
Sing!

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

Homai ngā tarau.
Pass me the trousers.

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

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

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

Waiho te tāora.
Leave the towel.

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

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

Homai hingareti.
Pass me your singlet.

Hōmai te tote.
Pass me the salt.

Hoatu tēnei ki a ia.
Give this to him.