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...

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

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

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

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

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

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

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

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

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

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

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

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

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

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

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

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

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

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

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

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

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

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

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

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

Maranga!
Get up!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

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

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

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

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

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

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

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

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

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

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

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

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

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

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

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

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

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

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

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

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.

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

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

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

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

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

Tiakina a Amaru!
Look after Amaru!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Titiro atu!
Look over there!

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

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

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

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

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

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

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

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

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

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

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