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...

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

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

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

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

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

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

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

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

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

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

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

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

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

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

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

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

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

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

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

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

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

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

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

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

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

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

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

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

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

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

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

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

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Tiakina a Nikau!
Look after Nikau!

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

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

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

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

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

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

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

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

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

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

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

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

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

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

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

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

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

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

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

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

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

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

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

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

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

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

Maranga!
Get up!

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

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

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

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

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

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

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

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

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

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!