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...

Mahia atu!
Get into it!

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

Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggs

Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!

Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.

Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!

Kaita te kūwaha.
Shut the door.

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

Kōmuhua mai.
Whisper it to me!

Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!

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

Tiakina a Pita!
Look after Pita!

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

Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.

Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.

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

Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.

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

Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.

Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.

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

Whakarewa!
Melt!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.

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

Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!

Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!

Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!

Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!

Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.

Pataina tr parāoa.
Butter the bread.

Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.

Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!

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

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

Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.

Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.

Maranga!
Get up!

Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!

Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!

Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!

Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!

Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.

Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.

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

Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!

Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!

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

Maranga mai!
Get up!

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

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

Tīkina he pune.
Get a spoon.

Whengua tō ihu!
Blow your nose!

Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!

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

Tātaihia!
Recite it!

Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

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

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

Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!

Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.

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

Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!

Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.

Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!

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

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

Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.

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

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

Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.

Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!

Topea te rākau!
Chop the tree!

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

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

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

Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!

Tirohia te rā!
Look at the sun!

Kainga ō tōhi!
Eat your toast!

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

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

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

Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!

Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!

Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!

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

Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!

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

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

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!

Haria ēnei!
Carry these!

Huakina te kūwaha.
Open the door.

Meatia ki roto!
Put it in!

Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.

Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!

Tāpapa!
Lie face down!

Whakarongo!
Listen!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!

Taupokitia te miraka.
Put the lid on the milk.

Mahia te mahi!
Do the work!

Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!

Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!

Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.

Tahia te ara!
Sweep the path!

Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.

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

Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.

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

Whakapaitia te ruma!
Tidy the room!

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

Kōrerotia te reo Māori!
Speak the Māori language!

Tīkina te maripi.
Get a knife.

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

Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!

Titiro atu!
Look over there!