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...

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

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

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

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

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

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

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

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

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

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

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

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

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

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

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

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

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

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

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

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

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

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

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

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

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

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

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

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

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

Maranga!
Get up!

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

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

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

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

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

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

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

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

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

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

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

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

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

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

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

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

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.

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

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

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

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

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Tiakina a Pita!
Look after Pita!

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

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

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

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

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!