Māori Grammar

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Chop the vegetables

Commands using passives

There are some words which describe an action that can be done on its own, without reference to anything else. For example, I can run. The word "run" is known as an "intransitive verb". There other words that describe an action that does relate to something else. While I can say "I am reading" or "I am singing", it is implied that I am reading something or singing something. I might be reading a book or singing a song. These kind of verbs are known as "transitive verbs".

When giving a command to a person to do something, if the verb is transitive, then we use a passive ending. For example:

Pānuihia!
Read!

Because the verb "read" is transitive (we read something), then the passive ending is used to make this word a command. This true of other words that are transitive. 

Riringihia!
Pour!

Kohia ngā parapara.
Collect up the rubbish.

When giving commands, we do not use a passive ending for intransitive verbs. For example, the word "stand" is intransitive and so would simply say: e tu! to give someone the command to stand - it does not take a passive ending.

When giving commands using the passive, we do not use i or ki to identifty the object of the sentence. For example, we would say:

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat

and not:

*Tikina i tō pōtae.*
Fetch your hat

Compare the following, where an active command uses ki but the passive command does not:

Titiro ki te mainga!
Look at the mountain!

Titirohia te mainga!
Look at the mountain!

See also:

• The pseudo-passive - he mea...

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

Hoatu te tuna ki te pēke!
Put the eel in the sack!

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Whakatikahia te tēpu mō te kai.
Set the table for the meal.

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Tīkina te waka ki te marae.
Fetch the car from the marae.

Haria mai koa te arawhata!
Please bring me the ladder!

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

Tīkina ngā taputapu i te rūma ki te hanga i te whare.
Fetch the tools from the room to build the house.

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.

Mauria mai ētahi parāoa parai.,
bring me some fried bread.

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Maranga!
Get up!

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Unuhia ki te uru tapu nui!
Draw on the superme sacredness!

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Homai he wai arani māku.
Pass an orange juice for me.

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Katia te kuaha o te motokā.
Close the car door.

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Whakahokia ngā rīhi ki te kāpata i muri i te kai.
Return the dishes to the cupboard after the meal.

Kohimutia mai ki taku taringa.
Whisper it in my ear.

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

Kātia te kuaha kia kaua e uru mai te hau.
Close the door to prevent the wind from coming in.

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Waiho ō hū ki te kūaha.
Leave your shoes at the door.

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Manaakitia ngā manuhiri ki te kai, ki te kōrero.
Look after the guests with food and good conversation.

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Whakahokia mai te motokā ki a au.
Return the car to me.

Whakawāteahia he wāhi ki te kāuta.
Clear a space in the kitchen.

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Pāwhiritia te tohu tīwhiri ka whakautu ai i te pātai.
Click the clue symbol in each box to reveal the question.

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

Pānuitia te reo Māori ki a koe anō.
Read Māori aloud.

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

Āwhinatia te ngeru kia piki ki runga i te tūru.
Help the cat climb onto the chair.

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Tuatahi, horoia ōu ringaringa!
Firstly, wash your hands!

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Horoia ngā kanohi o ngā tamariki nohinohi!
Wash the little children's faces!

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Whakairihia ngā kākahu ki runga i te rākau.
Hang the clothes on the line.

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Hoatu ngā pukapuka ki runga i te papa pukapuka.
Put the books on the bookshelf.

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Puritia ngā taha o te waka kei taka koe!
Hold on to the sides of the waka lest you fall!

Nō wai ēnei hū māwhero?
To whom do these pink shoes belong?

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Whakapaingia te whare i mua i te taenga mai o ngā manuhiri.
Clean the house before the guests arrive.

Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te kuhu i ōna kākahu!
Help your sister put her clothes on!

Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te whakakākahu i a ia anō!
Help your sister to get herself dressed!

Whakahokia atu to motokā ki a Aroha.
Return the car to Aroha.

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Whakatikahia ngā mahi i te whare mō te hui.
Prepare the work at the house for the meeting.

Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Waihotia ngā kai ki runga i te tēpu mō te rā whānau.
Leave the food on the table for the birthday.

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Kei te whakatikaina te waka.
The car is being fixed.

Tīkina atu te pukapuka mai i te tēpu.
Fetch the book from the table.

Haria atu te motokā ki tō Ari whare.
Take the car to Ari's house.

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Hoatu te huka ki roto i te kāpata.
Put the sugar into the cupboard.

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Whakarerea ngā tūru ki roto i te rūma hui.
Leave the chairs in the meeting room.

Ringihia mai te wai ki tāku kapu.
Pour the water into my cup.

Haria ngā tamariki ki te kura i te ata.
Take the children to school in the morning.

Tiakina a Tawa!
Look after Tawa!