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There are often two ways we can say the same thing: "I am reading a book" and "the book is being read by me". The first way, known as an "active" sentence, says that someone is doing something. The second, called a "passive" sentence, says that something is being done to something. In this case, the book is being read. There are many sentences that can be said in a passive way: "The milk was drunk by the children", "the fire was lit by the man", "the cake was baked by the Gran".
Te reo Māori often uses a passive sentence structure. In fact, a general rule of thumb is that if you can say something using a passive sentence then it is preferable to do so. For example, it is better, in te reo, to say: "The work was done by me" rather than "I did the work".
A passive sentence is created by adding a passive ending to a verb. For example, the word for "love" is aroha, but the word for "to be loved" is arohaina. The -ina ending (or "suffix) makes the word passive.
There are quite a few passive endings:
-a, -hanga, - hia, -hina, -ina, -kia, -kina, -mia, -na, -nga, -ngia, -ria, -rina, -tia, -whia, -whina and -ea
There is no apparent rule as to which ending a word might take, and so these have to be learned. For example:
arohaina - to be loved
kainga - to be eaten
kōrerotia - to be spoken
Occasionally, the word itself may change slightly. For example:
titiro - to see
tirohia - to be seen
tuhituhi - to write
tuhia - to be written
We might have expected titirohoa or tuhituhitia, but where a syllable is duplicated in the word (ti-ti-ro, tuhi-tuhi) then the duplication is dropped.
The following are passive endings:
-a
-na
-ngā
-kia
-mia
-ria
-whia
-ina
-whina
-ā
-ia
-tia
-hia
-ngia
Can only be used with kei te, e... ana, ka, i, i te and kua. (Can't be used with me, hei, homai, hoatu)
-tia, -hia and -ngia are interchangeable.
Passive sentences do not have i or ki before the subject:
Kei te whakatika i te waka.
The car is being fixed.
But:
Kei te whakatikaina te waka.
The car is being fixed.
(No i before te waka.)
I pōwhitritia e mātou.
They were welcomed by us.
I pōwhitritia mātou.
We were welcomed.
The particle e indicates who did the action, and can change the meaning of a sentence:
I patu au.
I hit.
I patua e au.
It was hit by me.
I patua au.
I was hit.
Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass was cut by me.Kua whāngaia te ngeru e a Rangi.
The cat was fed by Rangi.Haria ngā kākahu ki waho kia whitia ai e te rā.
Take the clothes outside so that they can be shone on by the sunKua inumia te miraka e te tamaiti.
The milk has been drunk by the child.He marama pai a Hōngongoi kia kokotia ngā rōhi.
July is a good month to prune the roses.I runga i te paruone ka mahia e ia he raina mai i te kēti ki te whare ki tana rākau.
He drew a line in the dirt from the gate to the house with his stick.Kua pānuitia taua pukapuka e au.
That aforementioned book has been read by me.Ka patua ia e te tamaiti rahi.
He was hit by the big boy.Kua mahia te mahi e ngā tamariki.
The work was done by the children.I tāia ia e te moe.
He was overcome by sleep.I ngā rā o mua, kāore tēnei mahi e mahia ana e ngā Māori o Te Kaha.
Formerly, this activity was not performed by the Māori people of Te Kaha.Kei te kōrerohia te kaupapa e te kaiako.
The topic is being discussed by the teacher.Kua kikia te pāora e Honi to Niko.
The ball was kicked by Honi to Niko.I kohia ngā pipi e au.
I gathered the pipi.Kua tuhia te reta e Hine.
The letter has been written by Hine.Ka whāngaitia ringaringatia hoki a Ruataupare e tētehai tohunga.
Ruataupare was also fed by hand by a tohunga.Kei whaia koe e te kurī.
You might get chased by the dog.Ka tangihia ngā mate e tātou.
The deceased will be bereaved by us.I kōhurutia te tangata ki te awa.
The man was murdered at the river.Kua inumia ā tātou waireka e ngā pakeke.
Our soft drinks have been drunk by the adults.Ka manaakitia te harakeke e au.
The flax will be looked after by me.Kua haria ngā pouaka e au.
The boxes have been carried by me.Kua kohia e ia ētahi waiata tawhito.
Some ancient songs have been collected by him.I hokona ngā ika e ia.
The fish were bought by him.Kei te topea te rākau e ia.
The tree was felled (by him).Ke tukuna e Wairangi tana taurekareka ki a Pare-whete.
His servant was sent by Wairangi to Para-whete.E kimihia ana he tikanga.
A plan is/was being sought.Kua waiatatia te waiata e ngā tauira.
The song was sung by the students.Kawea tētehi puka iti ki ngā wāhi kei reira te reo Māori e kōrerohia ana, tuhia ngā kupu me ngā kīanga ka rangona.
Bring a small book with you to the places where the Māori language is spoken, write down the words and phrases that are heard.Ka tohia te āporo e Mere.
The apple will be picked by Mere.Kia tae atu tātou ki Te Tairāwhitio, ka pōhiritia tātou.
When we get to the East Coast we will be welcomed.I hoea te waka e ngā manuhiri ki te motu.
The boat was paddled by the guests to the island.Kotahi te poaka e pūhia ana a te Mane.
One pig will be shot on Monday.Ka numia ki te pakitara maui o waho o te whare.
And led him past the outside of the left wall of the house.Kei te āwhinatia te hoa e au.
The friend is being helped by me.I utaina e au ngā kākahu ki roto i te mīhini horoi.
The clothes were loaded into the washing machine by me.Kua pānuitia taua pukapuka e au.
I have read that (aforementioned) book.Kua tākarohia e mātou ngā kēmu e rua.
We've played the two games.Ka inumia te miraka e koe.
The milk will be drunk by you.Ka kimihia tētahi tikanga, e kitea ai he moni.
A plan will be sought whereby money will be found.I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.I patua te rango e te tangata.
The fly was hit by the man.Ka whakatikahia te whare e ngā kaimahi.
The house will be fixed by the workers.Kei te tahia te papa e ia.
The floor is being swept by him/her.Kua mahia e Tame he kapu tī mā rātou.
Tame has made them a cup of tea.Kei te riro te mōhiohio e te pirihimana.
The information is being received by the policeman.Kua tirohia ngā tāonga e ngā tauira.
The treasures have been looked at by the students.E takahia ana te whenua e ngā waewae o ngā manuhiri.
The ground is trodden on by the feet of the visitors.Tapaia tonutia atu taua maunga nei ko Tirirau.
That mountain is still called Tihirua.E tapatapahia ana ngā aniana e ia.
The onions are being diced by him.Ka hangaia te whare e au.
The house is built by me.Kāhore tēnei kete i rarangatia ki te raupō.
This kit was not woven out of bulrushes.E tapatapahia ana ngā aniana e ia.
The onions are being diced by him.Kua kimihia e ia āna kī i ngā wāhi katoa.
He has searched everywhere for his keys. (Literally, his keys have been searched for everywhere.).Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.I pēhia rawatia ngā wāhine.
The women were severely oppressed.Kei te tunua te kai ki te ahi.
The food is being cooked by fire.Kei te wetekia a Pāora e tona hoa.
Pāora is being untied by his friend.Ka hokona te taonga e koe.
The gift will be bought by you.Whitiwhitia e te rā.
Transformed by the sun.I whāngaihia ia e ōna kaumātua.
She was adopted her grandparents.I taiāwhiotia te whare i te ture.
The house was surrounded by the police.Ka mahia he waka mō tekau tāngata,.
A ten-man canoe was made.I āta wāhia te wini e Hēmi.
Hēmi broke the window deliberately.I hoea te waka e ngā manuhiri ki te motu.
The boat was paddled by the guests to the island.Ka mihia mātou e te tangata whenua.
We were greeted by the home people.Kua whakamāramatia te mahi e te kaiako ki ngā tamariki.
The work has been explained to the children by the teacher.Kua kōrerotia te tamaiti e tōna kaiako.
The child has been spoken to by his/her teacher.Ka horoia ngā kākahu mā e ia.
The white clothes will be washed by him.Kei te kitea te kōtiro e tōna māmā.
The girl is being seen by her mother.I te pānuitia te kupu.
The message was being read out.I mahia e ia he taonga wheua mō te rau tāra.
He made a bone pendant worth one hundred dollars.He tūranga motuhake tō te reo Māori i waenganui i ngā reo e kōrerotia ana i Aotearoa nei.
Māori has a special position amongst the languages spoken here in Aotearoa.Auē, kua rakahia te whare? Nā wai i raka te whare? Ehara i a au.
Oh no! Has the house been locked? Who locked the house? It wasn't me.I kōrerohia te pūrākau ki te reo Māori.
They story was told in the Māori language.E inumia ana te miraka e te ngeru.
The milk is being drunk by the cat.Ka āwhinatia a Aroha e Taika.
Aroha was helped by Taika.I kainga katoatia te kai.
The food was all eaten up.Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?I mahia e ia te wini me ana ringa paruparu.
He mended the window with dirty hands.Kua whakakopaina ngā pūhera e ngā kaihoko.
The parcels have been wrapped by the shop assistants.Ka pīrangitia e ia ngā mea katoa.
All the things are wanted by him.E nekehia ana ngā pouaka e ngā tamariki.
The boxes are being moved by the children.Ka rāhuitia ēnei tauranga ika mā Ngāti-Kahukoka.
These fishing grounds were set aside for Ngāti-Kahukoka.Kua tāria koe e au.
You have been waited for by me.Ka whakatauria te kēmu e te kaiwawao.
The game will be decided by the referee.I horoia ngā kākahu e au i tērā Rāhoroi.
The clothes were washed by me on Saturday.Ka horoia ngā kākahu mā e ia.
The white clothes will be washed by him.Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass has been cut by me.Kia kauwhautia atu iana, e ahau, ki a koe.
Let me know recite this to you.I tomokia te pā e ngā toa.
The pā was entered by the warriors.Kua pāngia taua wahine e te mate.
That woman has been touched by sickness.Kua kōrerohia e ia tēnei pukapuka.
He has read this book right through.I horoia tōna waka e Pita.
His car was washed by Peter.I kainga katoatia te hākari.
The feast was all eaten up.I te ngahuru i hauhaketia e rātou ngā riwai.
In the autumn, they harvested potatoes.Kua inumia ā tātou waireka.
Our fizzy drinks have all been drunk.I tīkina te māripi e ia, kātahi ka tapahi ia i te pāua.
He fetched the knife, then he chopped the pāua.I patua te kurī e te tamaiti.
The dog was hit by the child.Ka haria ngā tamariki e au ki te papa tākaro.
The children will be taken by me to the playground.E kimihia ana he tikanga e ngā āpiha.
A plan is being sought by the officials.Ka whakapaingia te papa e ngā tamariki.
The floor will be cleaned by the children.Ka whāngaitioa ringaringatia hoki a Ruataupare e tētahi tohunga.
Ruataupere was also fed by hand by a tohunga.E tahia ana e Mia te papa.
The floor was swept by Mia.Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.Ka patua te ngeru e te kurī.
The cat will be attacked by the dog.Kua kimihia tāna waea pūkoro i ngā wāhi katoa.
His cell phone has been searched for everywhere.Kei te tāia te pepa e te kaituhi.
The paper is being printed by the author.Ka tuwherahia te tatau e te kaiako.
The door will be opened by the teacher.Kua horoia ngā rīhi e ngā tamariki.
The dishes have been washed by the children.E tirohia ana ngā taonga tākaro ki te toa e ngā tamariki.
The toys in the shop are being looked at by the children.Kei te whitia au e te rā.
I am being shone on by the sun.Tokohia ngā tāngata i tae atu ki reira?
How many people arrived there?Mā te kōrerotia i ngā wā katoa e ora ai te reo.
It is through being spoken all the time that the language will survive.Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?I kohia ngā pipi e au.
I gathered the pipi.Kāore anō tēnei pānui kia pānuitia e au.
I have not yet read this notice.E waiatatia ana ngā waiata e ngā tauira.
The songs are being sung by the students.I whiria te tū harakeke e te kuia.
The flax belt was braided by the old woman.I titoa te waiata nei e Jeff Simmonds.
This song was composed by Jeff Simmonds.Kei te kōrerotia ia e te kuramāhita.
She is being spoken to by the headmaster.I whakatōkia ngā tipu e te paruauru.
The seedlings were planted by the gardener.Ka puhia ia i te manu.
He shot the bird.Ka arohaina te iwi e Te Atua.
The people will be looked after by God.E waiatatia ana ngā waiata e ngā tauira.
The songs are being sung by the students.Ka pūhia e ia te manu.
The bird was shot by him.Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rainE kimihia ana te kiore e te ngeru.
The cat is searching for the rat.Kua hokona ngā hū e Hōne.
The shoes were bought by Hōne.I whakatūngia ahau e te pirihimana.
I was stopped by the police officer.Kei te whāia te pōro e ngā tamariki.
The ball is being chased by the children,I whakairotia a mua o te whare.
The front of the house was carved.Kua tīkina ngā kākahu horoi e ngā tamariki.
The clean clothes have been fetched by the children.E whakamākūtia ana ngā kākahu e te ua.
The clothes are being drenched by the rain.Ka karapotia te pā o Mātakiora.
The pā of Mōtakiora was surrounded.I aukatingia ahau e te pirihimana.
I was stopped by the police officer.I nukuhia e au ngā ahi wera mai i ngā kōhatu ki te pouaka ki tōku hawera.
The hot ashes were moved by me from the stones to the box with my shovel.Kua tangohia nā hū e tōnā matua.
His shoes have been removed by his father.Ki te kitea noatia e tētahi tangata mea...
If someone just sees something...Kua haria haeretia ngā kōhatu ki te moana.
The stones have been progressively carried to the sea.Ka tāria te waka e ngā kaiako.
The car will be waited for by the teachers.Ke rāhuitia ēnei tauranga ike mā Ngāti-Kahukoka.
These fishing grounds were set aside for Ngāti-Kahukoka.Kei te kōrerohia a Pita te pūrākau.
The story is being told by Pita.Ka tukua te kurī e au.
The dog was released by me.I te mutunga iho, ka whakaaetia e te katoa.
In the end, it was agreed to unanimously.Kei pāngia ia e te rūmātiki.
He might get rheumatism.I whakaakona ngā tamariki e te kaiako.
The children were taught by the teacher.I whakatikahia te waka hei painga mō te haere.
The car was fixed for the benefit of the trip.Kitea rawatia ake rāua i runga i te maunga.
They were finally seen on the mountain.Muri iho ka whakaarahia e ia ōna hoa koroheke o roto i te whare ki te mātakitaki ki te ātaahuatanga o tana wahine.
Afterwars, his old cronies in the house were roused by him to gaze at the beauty of his wife.I āwhinatia rātou e mātou ko aku tēina.
They were helped by me and my younger siblings.I taupokitia te oneone e te paruauru.
The soil was dug by the gardener.Kua kauhoetia e ia te awa.
She has swum the river.Kei te kimihia he whare mō te kura.
A house is being sought for the school.E kainga ana ngā rīwai e te pēpi.
The potatoes are being eaten by the baby.Ka kīia te wharepaku e ngā manuhiri.
The bathroom will be used by the guests.Nō muri tata mai ka whakamihia ia mō āna mahi.
Shortly afterwards she was acknowledged for what she'd done.E whāngaihia ana ngā kurī e Nikau.
The dogs are being fed by Nikau.E mōhiotia whānuitia ana a Te Puea Hērangi e ngā tāngata Māori o te motu.
Te Puea Hērangi is widely known by Māori people from all over the land.Ka mutu ngā karakia a Te Aotaki ka werohia e ia a Rangipopo.
Te Aotaki finished his incantations and then he invoked Rangipopo.Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass has been cut by me.Kei te tangohia ōna hū e Makere.
Her shoes are being removed by Makere.I pōkia te rangi e ngā kapua.
They sky was covered over by the clouds.Ka mea atu ia ki a Mea kia meatia ngā mea katoa ki mea wāhi.
She told so-and-so to put all the things in such-and-such a place.Kei te tākarohia te pōro e ngā tamariki.
The ball is being played with by the children.Kei te arohaina te tamaiti e tōna whaea.
The child is loved by his mother.I topea te rākau e Rōpata.
The tree was cut by Bob.I rurukutia ngā hokonga e ia.
The purchases were wrapped by him.Kua tonoa kētia atu ngā pānui e mātou.
The notices have already been sent out by us (3/+ exclusive).I hokona ngā ika e ia.
The fish were bought by him.E whitia ana au e te rā.
I am being shone on by the sun.I utaina e au ngā kākahu ki roto i te mīhini horoi.
The clothes were loaded into the washing machine by me.Mahia ai tēnei mahi i ngā rā omua.
This work was carried out in former times.I utaina e au ngā kai ki roto i te torore.
The food was loaded into the trolley by me.Ka nōhia ngā tūru.
The chairs will be sat on.E kōrerotia ana te karakia e te wahine.
The prayer is being spoken by the woman.Kua haerea te ara ra.
That pathway has been travelled.Kua kainga te parāoa e ngā rakiraki.
The bread has been eaten by the ducks.