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...

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

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

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

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

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

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

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

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

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

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

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

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

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

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?

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

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

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

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

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

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

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

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

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

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

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

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

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

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

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

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

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

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

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

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

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

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

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

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

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

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

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

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

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

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

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

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

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

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.

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

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

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

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

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

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

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

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

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

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

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

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

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Tiakina a Rangi!
Look after Rangi!

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

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

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

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

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

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

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

Maranga!
Get up!