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...

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

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Maranga!
Get up!

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

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

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

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

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

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

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

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.

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

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.

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

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

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

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

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

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

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

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

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

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

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

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

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

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

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

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

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

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

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

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

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

Tiakina a Tame!
Look after Tame!

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

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

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

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

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

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

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

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

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

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

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

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

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

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

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

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

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

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

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

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

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

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

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

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

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

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!