Māori Grammar
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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!
Waihotia ngā kai ki runga i te tēpu mō te rā whānau.
Leave the food on the table for the birthday.Whakapaingia te whare i mua i te taenga mai o ngā manuhiri.
Clean the house before the guests arrive.Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.Whakarongo!
Listen!Whakahokia mai te motokā ki a au.
Return the car to me.Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!Tiakina a Ataahua!
Look after Ataahua!Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!Haria atu te motokā ki tō Niko whare.
Take the car to Niko's house.Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!Homai he wai arani māku.
Pass an orange juice for me.Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.Tīkina te waka ki te marae.
Fetch the car from the marae.Whakarerea ngā tūru ki roto i te rūma hui.
Leave the chairs in the meeting room.Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggsTāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.Tīkina atu te pukapuka mai i te tēpu.
Fetch the book from the table.Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.Haria mai koa te arawhata!
Please bring me the ladder!Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.Whakarewa!
Melt!Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!Haria ngā tamariki ki te kura i te ata.
Take the children to school in the morning.Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.Whakatikahia te tēpu mō te kai.
Set the table for the meal.Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!Mauria mai ētahi parāoa parai.,
bring me some fried bread.Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.Kohimutia mai ki taku taringa.
Whisper it in my ear.Katia te kuaha o te motokā.
Close the car door.Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.Āwhinatia te ngeru kia piki ki runga i te tūru.
Help the cat climb onto the chair.Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.Tuatahi, horoia ōu ringaringa!
Firstly, wash your hands!Whakahokia ngā rīhi ki te kāpata i muri i te kai.
Return the dishes to the cupboard after the meal.Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te kuhu i ōna kākahu!
Help your sister put her clothes on!Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!Manaakitia ngā manuhiri ki te kai, ki te kōrero.
Look after the guests with food and good conversation.Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.Kātia te kuaha kia kaua e uru mai te hau.
Close the door to prevent the wind from coming in.Whakawāteahia he wāhi ki te kāuta.
Clear a space in the kitchen.Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.Hoatu te huka ki roto i te kāpata.
Put the sugar into the cupboard.Tātaihia!
Recite it!Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.Unuhia ki te uru tapu nui!
Draw on the superme sacredness!Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!Whakatikahia ngā mahi i te whare mō te hui.
Prepare the work at the house for the meeting.Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!Whakairihia ngā kākahu ki runga i te rākau.
Hang the clothes on the line.Tīkina ngā taputapu i te rūma ki te hanga i te whare.
Fetch the tools from the room to build the house.Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te whakakākahu i a ia anō!
Help your sister to get herself dressed!Pānuitia te reo Māori ki a koe anō.
Read Māori aloud.Maranga!
Get up!Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.Pāwhiritia te tohu tīwhiri ka whakautu ai i te pātai.
Click the clue symbol in each box to reveal the question.Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!Hoatu ngā pukapuka ki runga i te papa pukapuka.
Put the books on the bookshelf.Puritia ngā taha o te waka kei taka koe!
Hold on to the sides of the waka lest you fall!Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!Waiho ō hū ki te kūaha.
Leave your shoes at the door.Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!Whakahokia atu to motokā ki a Hēmi.
Return the car to Hēmi.Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!Ringihia mai te wai ki tāku kapu.
Pour the water into my cup.Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.Tāpapa!
Lie face down!