Māori Grammar

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!

▶

Give me those!

hōmai and hōatu

Noho iho!
Sit down!

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

E tū runga i te tūru!
Stand on the chair!

Homai ngā pereti.
Pass me the plates.

Waiata ki ngā manuhiri.
Sing to the guests.

Homai tēnā.
Give that (thing) here.

Oma atu!
Run away!

Homai koa tēnā.
Please pass that.

Waiho ngā tūru.
Leave the chairs.

Hoatu tēnei ki a ia.
Give this to him.

Homai ō ringaringa.
Give me your hands.

Hōmai ēnā hū ōku.
Pass mne those shoes of mine.

Hoatu ngā pune.
Pass the spoons (away).

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

Homai ōna kākahu.
Give me his clothes.

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

Waiho te tāora.
Leave the towel.

Titiro ki te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

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

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

Hoatu te parāoa.
Pass the bread (away).

Homai tō hingareti.
Pass me your singlet.

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

Waiho te wini.
Leave the window alone.

Titiro ki te mainga!
Look at the mountain!

Pātai atu ki tō hoa.
Ask your friend.

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

homai te pēpi!
pass the baby!

Homai ki a mātou!
Give it to us!

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

Waiho te mea nā.
Leave that thing alone.

Homai te tote.
Pass the salt.

Homai te hopi.
Pass me the soap.

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

Homai ki au.
Give it to me.

Tirohia te maunga!
Look at the mountain!

Hoatu te āporo kia a Taika.
Give the apple to Taika.

Waiho tō teina.
Leave your younger sibling

Waiho te raumamao.
Leave the remote

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

Homai te pata.
Pass me the butter.

Homai ngā tarau.
Pass me the trousers.

Homai tētehi naihi.
Pass me a knife.

Homai ngā kākahu.
Pass me the clothes.

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

Moe mai!
Sleep!

Homai ōu koti.
Give me your coats.

Kuhu mai ki roto!
Come inside!

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

Waiho te hopi.
Leave the soap.

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

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

Homai koa te pata.
Pass me the butter please.

Homai te pene.
Pass me the pen.

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

Homai ngā āporo.
Pass me the apples.

Homai te pēpi
Pass me the baby.

E oma ki a Manu!
Run to Manu!

Waiho te raumamao.
Leave the remote.

Homai te paoka.
Pass the fork.

Homai ngā ūkui.
Pass me the wipes.

Homai ō koti.
Give me your coats.

Haere atu i konei!
Go away from here!

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

Titiro ki te paratuhituhi!
Look at the blackboard!

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

Homai ngā tōkena.
Pass me the socks.

Titiro ki te waka.
Look at the car.

Homai tōna pātara.
Pass me his bottle.

Homai te parāoa.
Pass me the bread.

Waiho tēnā, koa.
Leave that alone, please.

Waiho ngā kī.
Leave the keys.

Homai ki ahau.
Give it to me.

Whakatika i tōu rūma.
Tidy your room.

Homai tōna tīhāte.
Give me his t-shirt.

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

Hōmai tēnā hū ōku.
Pass me that shoe of mine.

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

Hōmai te tote.
Pass me the salt.

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

Tatari i te kete!
Wait at the gate!

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

Whakaahua mai!
Take a photo of me!

Kōrero atu!
Speak out!

Tū ake!
Stand up!

Hōmai aku pene!
Give me my pencils!

Waiata!
Sing!

Homai tō ringa.
Pass me your hand.

Homai te ūkui.
Pass me the cloth.

Waiho te rākau nei.
Leave the gearstick alone.

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

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

Homai te tāora.
Pass me the towel.

Homai tō tāora.
Give me your towel.

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