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...

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

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

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

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

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

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

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Whakarewa!
Melt!

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

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

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

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

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

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

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

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

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

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

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Tiakina a Hēmi!
Look after Hēmi!

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

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

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

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

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

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

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

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

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

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

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

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

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

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

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

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

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

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

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

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

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

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Maranga!
Get up!

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

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

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

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

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

Whakarongo!
Listen!

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

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

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

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

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

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

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

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

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

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

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

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

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

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

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

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

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

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

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

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

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

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.