Māori Grammar

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Te Reo Māori Level 1
Commands without e or the passive - Homai! Whakarongo!

If a verb has one or two syllables, when giving a command, the verb is preceeded by e:

E tū!
Stand up!

E noho!
Sit down.

If the verb has three or more syllables, we do not need the e:

Whakarongo!
Listen!

Homai te tāora.
Pass me the towel.

Homai te hopi.
Pass me the soap.

Kōrero atu!
Speak out!

Noho mai i te kūaha!
Sit down here by the door!

He rahi rawa tēnei wiri, hōmai he mea iti iho.
This drill is too big, pass me a smaller one.

Waiho teina.
Leave your younger sibling

Waiho te .
Leave it for later, it'll sink in soon.

Homai te pene.
Pass me the pen.

Hōmai te tote.
Pass me the salt.

Homai tāora.
Give me your towel.

Waiho te hopi.
Leave the soap.

Hoatu te pukapuka ki a ia.
Pass the book to him.

Waiata!
Sing!

Homai ngā ūkui.
Pass me the wipes.

Homai ngā āporo.
Pass me the apples.

Waiho ngā .
Leave the keys.

Waiho tēnā, koa.
Leave that alone, please.

Homai ngā tōkena.
Pass me the socks.

Homai tōna tīhāte.
Give me his t-shirt.

Homai te pēpi
Pass me the baby.

Waiho te rākau nei.
Leave the gearstick alone.

Homai koa tēnā.
Please pass that.

Oma atu!
Run away!

Hōmai te rākau ki a au.
Give the stick to me.

Waiho ō ki te kūaha.
Leave your shoes by the door.

Titiro ki te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

Waiho te tāora.
Leave the towel.

Tēnā homai te huka.
Can you pass me the sugar.

Tirohia te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

Moe mai!
Sleep!

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

Noho iho!
Sit down!

Homai ngā kākahu.
Pass me the clothes.

Hoatu ngā pune.
Pass the spoons (away).

Waiho te wini.
Leave the window alone.

Homai te tote me te pepa.
Pass the salt and pepper.

Homai tēnā.
Give that (thing) here.

Hoatu te paraoa ki a ia.
Pass the bread to her.

Hōmai aku pene!
Give me my pencils!

Titiro ki te waka.
Look at the car.

Hoatu te parāoa.
Pass the bread (away).

Hoatu te rākau ki a Mere.
Give the stick to Mere.

Hoatu he pereti ki a ia.
Give him a plate.

Homai ōu koti.
Give me your coats.

Hōmai tēnā ōku.
Pass me that shoe of mine.

E oma ki a Nikau!
Run to Nikau!

Kua ngaro tāku pene. He nui āu. Tēnā, hōmai tētahi.
I've lost my pen. You've got lots. Give me one please.

Titiro ki te mainga!
Look at the mountain!

Homai ngā pereti.
Pass me the plates.

Homai ki a mātou!
Give it to us!

Homai te tote.
Pass the salt.

Waiho ō kamuputu paru ki waho.
Leave your dirty gumboots outside.

Kuhu mai ki roto!
Come inside!

Hōmai tēnā pene whero.
Give me that red pen (by you).

E rua āu āporo. Homai tētahi!
You've got two apples. Give me one!

Waiho te mea .
Leave that thing alone.

Homai tōna pātara.
Pass me his bottle.

Homai tētehi naihi.
Pass me a knife.

Waiho ngā tūru.
Leave the chairs.

Homai te paoka.
Pass the fork.

Homai ki a mātou tōu waka.
Give us your canoe.

Homai ō ringaringa.
Give me your hands.

Hōmai ēnā ōku.
Pass mne those shoes of mine.

Whakatika i tōu rūma.
Tidy your room.

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

Homai ngā paoka me ngā pune.
Pass me the forks and spoons.

Hoatu ēnā taputapu ki a ia.
Give those tools to him.

homai te pēpi!
pass the baby!

Homai ō koti.
Give me your coats.

Homai te paukena nui rawa atu!
Give me the biggest pumpkin!

Homai te ūkui.
Pass me the cloth.

Tatari i te kete!
Wait at the gate!

Hōmai ngā tote.
Pass me the [bags of] salt.

Haere mai ki tipuna whare!
Welcome to your ancestral home!

Hoatu te hopi ki a ia.
Give him the soap.

Titiro ki te paratuhituhi!
Look at the blackboard!

Waiho te raumamao.
Leave the remote.

ake!
Stand up!

Haere atu i konei!
Go away from here!

Homai ki ahau.
Give it to me.

Waiata ki ngā manuhiri.
Sing to the guests.

Homai te parāoa.
Pass me the bread.

Homai ōna kākahu.
Give me his clothes.

Homai koa te pata.
Pass me the butter please.

Homai ngā tarau.
Pass me the trousers.

E runga i te tūru!
Stand on the chair!

Pātai atu ki hoa.
Ask your friend.

Waiho mātou, te hunga taiohi, ngā mea e kawe.
Leave it to us, the youth, to carry the things.

Homai ki au.
Give it to me.

Homai ringa.
Pass me your hand.

Hoatu tēnei ki a ia.
Give this to him.

Homai hingareti.
Pass me your singlet.

Waiho te raumamao.
Leave the remote