Māori Grammar

▶

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...

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

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

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

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

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

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

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

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

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

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

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

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

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

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

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

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

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

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

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

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

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

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

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

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

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

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

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

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

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

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

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

Tiakina a Taika!
Look after Taika!

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

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

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

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

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

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

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

Maranga!
Get up!

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

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

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

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

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

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

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

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

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

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

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

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

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

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

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

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

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

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

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

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

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

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!