Māori Grammar

Commands using the passive - Tāpirihia, Tīkina...

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!

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Chop the vegetables

Commands using passives

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

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

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

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

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

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

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

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

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

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

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

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

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

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

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

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

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

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

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

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

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

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

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

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

Maranga!
Get up!

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

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

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

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Tiakina a Rangi!
Look after Rangi!

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

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

Whakarewa!
Melt!

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.

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

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

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

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

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

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

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

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

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

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

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

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

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

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

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

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

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

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

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

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

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

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

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

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Maranga mai!
Get up!

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

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

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

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

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

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

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

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

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

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.