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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.
I hokona ngā ika e ia.
The fish were bought by him.I whakatikahia te waka hei painga mō te haere.
The car was fixed for the benefit of the trip.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 inumia ā tātou waireka.
Our fizzy drinks have all been drunk.E nekehia ana ngā pouaka e ngā tamariki.
The boxes are being moved by the children.Kua kauhoetia e ia te awa.
She has swum the river.Ka kīia te wharepaku e ngā manuhiri.
The bathroom will be used by the guests.Ka puhia ia i te manu.
He shot the bird.Ka horoia ngā kākahu mā e ia.
The white clothes will be washed by him.Tokohia ngā tāngata i tae atu ki reira?
How many people arrived there?Kua kikia te pāora e Rangi to Hera.
The ball was kicked by Rangi to Hera.Kei pāngia ia e te rūmātiki.
He might get rheumatism.Ke tukuna e Wairangi tana taurekareka ki a Pare-whete.
His servant was sent by Wairangi to Para-whete.I āwhinatia rātou e mātou ko aku tēina.
They were helped by me and my younger siblings.Kua kōrerotia te tamaiti e tōna kaiako.
The child has been spoken to by his/her teacher.Ka inumia te miraka e koe.
The milk will be drunk by you.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 riro te mōhiohio e te pirihimana.
The information is being received by the policeman.I aukatingia ahau e te pirihimana.
I was stopped by the police officer.I whiria te tū harakeke e te kuia.
The flax belt was braided by the old woman.E kimihia ana te kiore e te ngeru.
The cat is searching for the rat.I utaina e au ngā kākahu ki roto i te mīhini horoi.
The clothes were loaded into the washing machine by me.E waiatatia ana ngā waiata e ngā tauira.
The songs are being sung by the students.Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass has been cut by me.Ka haria ngā tamariki e au ki te papa tākaro.
The children will be taken by me to the playground.Kua whāngaia te ngeru e a Rangi.
The cat was fed by Rangi.Kua tangohia nā hū e tōnā matua.
His shoes have been removed by his father.Kua inumia te miraka e te tamaiti.
The milk has been drunk by the child.I horoia ngā kākahu e au i tērā Rāhoroi.
The clothes were washed by me on Saturday.Kei te kimihia he whare mō te kura.
A house is being sought for the school.Kua tirohia ngā tāonga e ngā tauira.
The treasures have been looked at by the students.E waiatatia ana ngā waiata e ngā tauira.
The songs are being sung by the students.I utaina e au ngā kākahu ki roto i te mīhini horoi.
The clothes were loaded into the washing machine by me.I whakaakona ngā tamariki e te kaiako.
The children were taught by the teacher.Ka patua te ngeru e te kurī.
The cat will be attacked by the dog.I hoea te waka e ngā manuhiri ki te motu.
The boat was paddled by the guests to the island.Kei te tunua te kai ki te ahi.
The food is being cooked by fire.Ka whāngaitioa ringaringatia hoki a Ruataupare e tētahi tohunga.
Ruataupere was also fed by hand by a tohunga.I tomokia te pā e ngā toa.
The pā was entered by the warriors.Kei te tangohia ōna hū e Makere.
Her shoes are being removed by Makere.Kua kohia e ia ētahi waiata tawhito.
Some ancient songs have been collected by him.E kimihia ana he tikanga e ngā āpiha.
A plan is being sought by the officials.I whakatūngia ahau e te pirihimana.
I was stopped by the police officer.E kainga ana ngā rīwai e te pēpi.
The potatoes are being eaten by the baby.E tapatapahia ana ngā aniana e ia.
The onions are being diced by him.Mahia ai tēnei mahi i ngā rā omua.
This work was carried out in former times.Ka karapotia te pā o Mātakiora.
The pā of Mōtakiora was surrounded.E whāngaihia ana ngā kurī e Rangi.
The dogs are being fed by Rangi.Kāore anō tēnei pānui kia pānuitia e au.
I have not yet read this notice.Ki te kitea noatia e tētahi tangata mea...
If someone just sees something...I taupokitia te oneone e te paruauru.
The soil was dug by the gardener.Kei te tāia te pepa e te kaituhi.
The paper is being printed by the author.E kimihia ana he tikanga.
A plan is/was being sought.Kua hokona ngā hū e Hōne.
The shoes were bought by Hōne.Kei te whitia au e te rā.
I am being shone on by the sun.Kei te kitea te kōtiro e tōna māmā.
The girl is being seen by her mother.I taiāwhiotia te whare i te ture.
The house was surrounded by the police.I kohia ngā pipi e au.
I gathered the pipi.Ka whakapaingia te papa e ngā tamariki.
The floor will be cleaned by the children.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.I te mutunga iho, ka whakaaetia e te katoa.
In the end, it was agreed to unanimously.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.Ka hokona te taonga e koe.
The gift will be bought by you.Ka nōhia ngā tūru.
The chairs will be sat on.I whāngaihia ia e ōna kaumātua.
She was adopted her grandparents.Ka patua ia e te tamaiti rahi.
He was hit by the big boy.He marama pai a Hōngongoi kia kokotia ngā rōhi.
July is a good month to prune the roses.I whakatōkia ngā tipu e te paruauru.
The seedlings were planted by the gardener.I kōrerohia te pūrākau ki te reo Māori.
They story was told in the Māori language.Tapaia tonutia atu taua maunga nei ko Tirirau.
That mountain is still called Tihirua.Kotahi te poaka e pūhia ana a te Mane.
One pig will be shot on Monday.I tīkina te māripi e ia, kātahi ka tapahi ia i te pāua.
He fetched the knife, then he chopped the pāua.I topea te rākau e Rōpata.
The tree was cut by Bob.E whitia ana au e te rā.
I am being shone on by the sun.Ka tangihia ngā mate e tātou.
The deceased will be bereaved by us.Kei te wetekia a Koa e tona hoa.
Koa is being untied by his friend.Kua haria ngā pouaka e au.
The boxes have been carried by me.I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.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.I patua te rango e te tangata.
The fly was hit by the man.Ka horoia ngā kākahu mā e ia.
The white clothes will be washed by him.Kitea rawatia ake rāua i runga i te maunga.
They were finally seen on the mountain.E tapatapahia ana ngā aniana e ia.
The onions are being diced by him.Kia tae atu tātou ki Te Tairāwhitio, ka pōhiritia tātou.
When we get to the East Coast we will be welcomed.I hokona ngā ika e ia.
The fish were bought by him.Kei te arohaina te tamaiti e tōna whaea.
The child is loved by his mother.I te pānuitia te kupu.
The message was being read out.Kei te kōrerohia te kaupapa e te kaiako.
The topic is being discussed by the teacher.Kua tāria koe e au.
You have been waited for by me.I āta wāhia te wini e Tawa.
Tawa broke the window deliberately.Kua tonoa kētia atu ngā pānui e mātou.
The notices have already been sent out by us (3/+ exclusive).Ka tāria te waka e ngā kaiako.
The car will be waited for by the teachers.Kei te topea te rākau e ia.
The tree was felled (by him).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.Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rainE takahia ana te whenua e ngā waewae o ngā manuhiri.
The ground is trodden on by the feet of the visitors.I kohia ngā pipi e au.
I gathered the pipi.Kei te kōrerotia ia e te kuramāhita.
She is being spoken to by the headmaster.I whakairotia a mua o te whare.
The front of the house was carved.I kōhurutia te tangata ki te awa.
The man was murdered at the river.Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?Ka pūhia e ia te manu.
The bird was shot by him.Kua mahia te mahi e ngā tamariki.
The work was done by the children.Kua kōrerohia e ia tēnei pukapuka.
He has read this book right through.Ka tukua te kurī e au.
The dog was released by me.E tahia ana e Manu te papa.
The floor was swept by Manu.I kainga katoatia te kai.
The food was all eaten up.Ka tuwherahia te tatau e te kaiako.
The door will be opened by the teacher.E inumia ana te miraka e te ngeru.
The milk is being drunk by the cat.Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?Ka whakatikahia te whare e ngā kaimahi.
The house will be fixed by the workers.Ka tohia te āporo e Mere.
The apple will be picked by Mere.Kua pāngia taua wahine e te mate.
That woman has been touched by sickness.Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass has been cut by me.Kua inumia ā tātou waireka e ngā pakeke.
Our soft drinks have been drunk by the adults.Kei te tākarohia te pōro e ngā tamariki.
The ball is being played with by the children.Kei te tahia te papa e ia.
The floor is being swept by him/her.I pōkia te rangi e ngā kapua.
They sky was covered over by the clouds.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.Ka mahia he waka mō tekau tāngata,.
A ten-man canoe was made.I hoea te waka e ngā manuhiri ki te motu.
The boat was paddled by the guests to the island.Ka manaakitia te harakeke e au.
The flax will be looked after by me.Ka āwhinatia a Kauri e Aria.
Kauri was helped by Aria.Nō muri tata mai ka whakamihia ia mō āna mahi.
Shortly afterwards she was acknowledged for what she'd done.Haria ngā kākahu ki waho kia whitia ai e te rā.
Take the clothes outside so that they can be shone on by the sunAuē, 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.Ka mutu ngā karakia a Te Aotaki ka werohia e ia a Rangipopo.
Te Aotaki finished his incantations and then he invoked Rangipopo.Kei whaia koe e te kurī.
You might get chased by the dog.Kua horoia ngā rīhi e ngā tamariki.
The dishes have been washed by the children.Ka mihia mātou e te tangata whenua.
We were greeted by the home people.Ka hangaia te whare e au.
The house is built by me.Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.I utaina e au ngā kai ki roto i te torore.
The food was loaded into the trolley by me.Kei te āwhinatia te hoa e au.
The friend is being helped by me.I kainga katoatia te hākari.
The feast was all eaten up.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.Kua tīkina ngā kākahu horoi e ngā tamariki.
The clean clothes have been fetched by the children.Kua kimihia tāna waea pūkoro i ngā wāhi katoa.
His cell phone has been searched for everywhere.Kei te kōrerohia a Nikau te pūrākau.
The story is being told by Nikau.Ke rāhuitia ēnei tauranga ike mā Ngāti-Kahukoka.
These fishing grounds were set aside for Ngāti-Kahukoka.E tirohia ana ngā taonga tākaro ki te toa e ngā tamariki.
The toys in the shop are being looked at by the children.Kua tākarohia e mātou ngā kēmu e rua.
We've played the two games.I te ngahuru i hauhaketia e rātou ngā riwai.
In the autumn, they harvested potatoes.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.Kua pānuitia taua pukapuka e au.
That aforementioned book has been read by me.I pēhia rawatia ngā wāhine.
The women were severely oppressed.Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.Kua haria haeretia ngā kōhatu ki te moana.
The stones have been progressively carried to the sea.I titoa te waiata nei e Jeff Simmonds.
This song was composed by Jeff Simmonds.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.).Whitiwhitia e te rā.
Transformed by the sun.Ka whāngaitia ringaringatia hoki a Ruataupare e tētehai tohunga.
Ruataupare was also fed by hand by a tohunga.Ka whakatauria te kēmu e te kaiwawao.
The game will be decided by the referee.I mahia e ia te wini me ana ringa paruparu.
He mended the window with dirty hands.Ka arohaina te iwi e Te Atua.
The people will be looked after by God.Ka kimihia tētahi tikanga, e kitea ai he moni.
A plan will be sought whereby money will be found.Ka rāhuitia ēnei tauranga ika mā Ngāti-Kahukoka.
These fishing grounds were set aside for Ngāti-Kahukoka.Kua pānuitia taua pukapuka e au.
I have read that (aforementioned) book.Kei te whāia te pōro e ngā tamariki.
The ball is being chased by the children,Ka pīrangitia e ia ngā mea katoa.
All the things are wanted by him.I horoia tōna waka e Pita.
His car was washed by Peter.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 mahia e Ataahua he kapu tī mā rātou.
Ataahua has made them a cup of tea.Kua whakamāramatia te mahi e te kaiako ki ngā tamariki.
The work has been explained to the children by the teacher.I mahia e ia he taonga wheua mō te rau tāra.
He made a bone pendant worth one hundred dollars.I patua te kurī e te tamaiti.
The dog was hit by the child.Kāhore tēnei kete i rarangatia ki te raupō.
This kit was not woven out of bulrushes.E whakamākūtia ana ngā kākahu e te ua.
The clothes are being drenched by the rain.I rurukutia ngā hokonga e ia.
The purchases were wrapped by him.I tāia ia e te moe.
He was overcome by sleep.Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass was cut by me.Kua tuhia te reta e Hine.
The letter has been written by Hine.Kua whakakopaina ngā pūhera e ngā kaihoko.
The parcels have been wrapped by the shop assistants.Kia kauwhautia atu iana, e ahau, ki a koe.
Let me know recite this to you.Kua waiatatia te waiata e ngā tauira.
The song was sung by the students.Kua kainga te parāoa e ngā rakiraki.
The bread has been eaten by the ducks.E kōrerotia ana te karakia e te wahine.
The prayer is being spoken by the woman.