Māori Grammar
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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!
Mauria mai ētahi parāoa parai.,
bring me some fried bread.Whakahokia mai te motokā ki a au.
Return the car to me.Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!Haria ngā tamariki ki te kura i te ata.
Take the children to school in the morning.Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!Pāwhiritia te tohu tīwhiri ka whakautu ai i te pātai.
Click the clue symbol in each box to reveal the question.Whakarerea ngā tūru ki roto i te rūma hui.
Leave the chairs in the meeting room.Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!Horoia ngā kanohi o ngā tamariki nohinohi!
Wash the little children's faces!Whakahokia ngā rīhi ki te kāpata i muri i te kai.
Return the dishes to the cupboard after the meal.Whakatikahia ngā mahi i te whare mō te hui.
Prepare the work at the house for the meeting.Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.Āwhinatia te ngeru kia piki ki runga i te tūru.
Help the cat climb onto the chair.Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.Hoatu te tuna ki te pēke!
Put the eel in the sack!Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!Waihotia ngā kai ki runga i te tēpu mō te rā whānau.
Leave the food on the table for the birthday.Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.Pānuitia te reo Māori ki a koe anō.
Read Māori aloud.Tīkina ngā taputapu i te rūma ki te hanga i te whare.
Fetch the tools from the room to build the house.Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.Waiho ō hū ki te kūaha.
Leave your shoes at the door.Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.Ringihia mai te wai ki tāku kapu.
Pour the water into my cup.Haria mai koa te arawhata!
Please bring me the ladder!Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!Whakawāteahia he wāhi ki te kāuta.
Clear a space in the kitchen.Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!Homai he wai arani māku.
Pass an orange juice for me.Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!Tātaihia!
Recite it!Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.Tāpapa!
Lie face down!Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!Tīkina atu te pukapuka mai i te tēpu.
Fetch the book from the table.Unuhia ki te uru tapu nui!
Draw on the superme sacredness!Whakarewa!
Melt!Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te kuhu i ōna kākahu!
Help your sister put her clothes on!Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!Kei te whakatikaina te waka.
The car is being fixed.Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!Whakairihia ngā kākahu ki runga i te rākau.
Hang the clothes on the line.Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.Katia te kuaha o te motokā.
Close the car door.Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.Whakapaingia te whare i mua i te taenga mai o ngā manuhiri.
Clean the house before the guests arrive.Whakahokia atu to motokā ki a Manu.
Return the car to Manu.Nō wai ēnei hū māwhero?
To whom do these pink shoes belong?Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!Kohimutia mai ki taku taringa.
Whisper it in my ear.Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!Puritia ngā taha o te waka kei taka koe!
Hold on to the sides of the waka lest you fall!Maranga!
Get up!Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.Tuatahi, horoia ōu ringaringa!
Firstly, wash your hands!Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!Haria atu te motokā ki tō Ari whare.
Take the car to Ari's house.Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!Hoatu te huka ki roto i te kāpata.
Put the sugar into the cupboard.Whakatikahia te tēpu mō te kai.
Set the table for the meal.Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!Manaakitia ngā manuhiri ki te kai, ki te kōrero.
Look after the guests with food and good conversation.Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!Tīkina te waka ki te marae.
Fetch the car from the marae.Whakarongo!
Listen!Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggsTukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!Kātia te kuaha kia kaua e uru mai te hau.
Close the door to prevent the wind from coming in.Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te whakakākahu i a ia anō!
Help your sister to get herself dressed!Hoatu ngā pukapuka ki runga i te papa pukapuka.
Put the books on the bookshelf.