Māori Grammar

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The cake was eaten by me

passive sentences

There are often two ways we can say the same thing: "I am reading a book" and "the book is being read by me". The first way, known as an "active" sentence, says that someone is doing something. The second, called a "passive" sentence, says that something is being done to something. In this case, the book is being read. There are many sentences that can be said in a passive way: "The milk was drunk by the children", "the fire was lit by the man", "the cake was baked by the Gran". 

Te reo Māori often uses a passive sentence structure. In fact, a general rule of thumb is that if you can say something using a passive sentence then it is preferable to do so. For example, it is better, in te reo, to say: "The work was done by me" rather than "I did the work".

A passive sentence is created by adding a passive ending to a verb. For example, the word for "love" is aroha, but the word for "to be loved" is arohaina. The -ina ending (or "suffix) makes the word passive.

There are quite a few passive endings:

-a, -hanga, - hia, -hina, -ina, -kia, -kina, -mia, -na, -nga, -ngia, -ria, -rina, -tia, -whia, -whina and -ea

There is no apparent rule as to which ending a word might take, and so these have to be learned. For example:

arohaina - to be loved
kainga - to be eaten
kōrerotia - to be spoken

Occasionally, the word itself may change slightly. For example:

titiro - to see
tirohia - to be seen

tuhituhi - to write
tuhia - to be written

We might have expected titirohoa or tuhituhitia, but where a syllable is duplicated in the word (ti-ti-ro, tuhi-tuhi) then the duplication is dropped.

The following are passive endings:

-a
-na
-ngā
-kia
-mia
-ria
-whia
-ina
-whina
-ā
-ia
-tia
-hia
-ngia

Can only be used with kei te, e... ana, ka, i, i te and kua. (Can't be used with me, hei, homai, hoatu)

-tia, -hia and -ngia are interchangeable. 

Passive sentences do not have i or ki before the subject:

Kei te whakatika i te waka.
The car is being fixed.

But:

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

(No i before te waka.)

I pōwhitritia e mātou.
They were welcomed by us.

I pōwhitritia mātou.
We were welcomed.

The particle e indicates who did the action, and can change the meaning of a sentence:

I patu au.
I hit.

I patua e au.
It was hit by me.

I patua au.
I was hit.

 

See also:

• The pseudo-passive - he mea...

E kōrerotia ana te karakia e te wahine.
The prayer is being spoken by the woman.

I āwhinatia rātou e mātou ko aku tēina.
They were helped by me and my younger siblings.

Kei te riro te mōhiohio e te pirihimana.
The information is being received by the policeman.

I pēhia rawatia ngā wāhine.
The women were severely oppressed.

Ka tangihia ngā mate e tātou.
The deceased will be bereaved by us.

Ka karapotia te pā o Mātakiora.
The pā of Mōtakiora was surrounded.

I aukatingia ahau e te pirihimana.
I was stopped by the police officer.

I huakina e te kōtiro te kūwaha.
The door was opened by the girl.

Kua tonoa kētia atu ngā pānui e mātou.
The notices have already been sent out by us (3/+ exclusive).

Kei te waiata mātou.
We are singing.

E takahia ana te whenua e ngā waewae o ngā manuhiri.
The ground is trodden on by the feet of the visitors.

I te mutunga iho, ka whakaaetia e te katoa.
In the end, it was agreed to unanimously.

E tirohia ana ngā taonga tākaro ki te toa e ngā tamariki.
The toys in the shop are being looked at by the children.

Ka āwhinatia a Manu e Pita.
Manu was helped by Pita.

Ka tuwherahia te tatau e te kaiako.
The door will be opened by the teacher.

Kua tāria koe e au.
You have been waited for by me.

I tīkina te māripi e ia, kātahi ka tapahi ia i te pāua.
He fetched the knife, then he chopped the pāua.

Ka pīrangitia e ia ngā mea katoa.
All the things are wanted by him.

Kei whaia koe e te kurī.
You might get chased by the dog.

I hokona ngā ika e ia.
The fish were bought by him.

I mahia e ia he taonga wheua mō te rau tāra.
He made a bone pendant worth one hundred dollars.

I titoa te waiata nei e Jeff Simmonds.
This song was composed by Jeff Simmonds.

Ka whakatikahia te whare e ngā kaimahi.
The house will be fixed by the workers.

Kua pānuitia taua pukapuka e au.
That aforementioned book has been read by me.

Ka hangaia te whare e au.
The house is built by me.

I wepu mātou.
We thrashed them.

Ka whakatauria te kēmu e te kaiwawao.
The game will be decided by the referee.

Kua whakamāramatia te mahi e te kaiako ki ngā tamariki.
The work has been explained to the children by the teacher.

Kua inumia ā tātou waireka.
Our fizzy drinks have all been drunk.

Ka nōhia ngā tūru.
The chairs will be sat on.

Haria ngā kākahu ki waho kia whitia ai e te rā.
Take the clothes outside so that they can be shone on by the sun

Ka patua ia e te tamaiti rahi.
He was hit by the big boy.

I rurukutia ngā hokonga e ia.
The purchases were wrapped by him.

I horoia tōna waka e Pita.
His car was washed by Peter.

Kei pāngia ia e te rūmātiki.
He might get rheumatism.

I whāngaihia ia e ōna kaumātua.
She was adopted her grandparents.

Ka whāngaitia ringaringatia hoki a Ruataupare e tētehai tohunga.
Ruataupare was also fed by hand by a tohunga.

Ka pōwhiritia te manuhiri e te tangata whenua.
The visitors will be welcomed by the local people.

E whitia ana au e te rā.
I am being shone on by the sun.

I wepua mātou.
We were thrashed.

I pōkia te rangi e ngā kapua.
They sky was covered over by the clouds.

Mā te kōrerotia i ngā wā katoa e ora ai te reo.
It is through being spoken all the time that the language will survive.

I arohaina a Honi e Taika.
Honi was loved by Taika.

Kei te tāia te pepa e te kaituhi.
The paper is being printed by the author.

I whakaakona ngā tamariki e te kaiako.
The children were taught by the teacher.

I āta wāhia te wini e Ari.
Ari broke the window deliberately.

I herua ōku makawe e tōku hoa.
My hair was combed by my friend.

Ka kimihia tētahi tikanga, e kitea ai he moni.
A plan will be sought whereby money will be found.

Ke tukuna e Wairangi tana taurekareka ki a Pare-whete.
His servant was sent by Wairangi to Para-whete.

Kei te waiatahia e mātou.
It is being sung by us.

I whakairotia a mua o te whare.
The front of the house was carved.

Kei te tangohia ōna hū e Makere.
Her shoes are being removed by Makere.

Kei te whakaaronga e ia.
It is being thought about by her.

Kei te wetekia a Nikau e tona hoa.
Nikau is being untied by his friend.

E waiatatia ana ngā waiata e ngā tauira.
The songs are being sung by the students.

I ngā rā o mua, kāore tēnei mahi e mahia ana e ngā Māori o Te Kaha.
Formerly, this activity was not performed by the Māori people of Te Kaha.

Ka puhia ia i te manu.
He shot the bird.

Kei te kōrerohia a Hēmi te pūrākau.
The story is being told by Hēmi.

Ka mutu ngā karakia a Te Aotaki ka werohia e ia a Rangipopo.
Te Aotaki finished his incantations and then he invoked Rangipopo.

He marama pai a Hōngongoi kia kokotia ngā rōhi.
July is a good month to prune the roses.

E nekehia ana ngā pouaka e ngā tamariki.
The boxes are being moved by the children.

Muri iho ka whakaarahia e ia ōna hoa koroheke o roto i te whare ki te mātakitaki ki te ātaahuatanga o tana wahine.
Afterwars, his old cronies in the house were roused by him to gaze at the beauty of his wife.

Kua haria ngā pouaka e au.
The boxes have been carried by me.

Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass has been cut by me.

Kua haria haeretia ngā kōhatu ki te moana.
The stones have been progressively carried to the sea.

Kei te whāia te pōro e ngā tamariki.
The ball is being chased by the children,

I mahia e ia te wini me ana ringa paruparu.
He mended the window with dirty hands.

I whakatōkia ngā tipu e te paruauru.
The seedlings were planted by the gardener.

Kua tangohia nā hū e tōnā matua.
His shoes have been removed by his father.

Kotahi te poaka e pūhia ana a te Mane.
One pig will be shot on Monday.

Ka manaakitia te harakeke e au.
The flax will be looked after by me.

I whakatūngia ahau e te pirihimana.
I was stopped by the police officer.

Kua inumia te miraka e te tamaiti.
The milk has been drunk by the child.

I whakatikahia te waka hei painga mō te haere.
The car was fixed for the benefit of the trip.

Kua waiatatia te waiata e ngā tauira.
The song was sung by the students.

Ka horoia ngā kākahu mā e ia.
The white clothes will be washed by him.

Ka arohaina te iwi e Te Atua.
The people will be looked after by God.

Hāponotia tōku hē!
Prove me wrong!

I kainga te keke e Mere.
The cake was eaten by Mere.

Kawea tētehi puka iti ki ngā wāhi kei reira te reo Māori e kōrerohia ana, tuhia ngā kupu me ngā kīanga ka rangona.
Bring a small book with you to the places where the Māori language is spoken, write down the words and phrases that are heard.

Kei te arohaina te tamaiti e tōna whaea.
The child is loved by his mother.

Ka tāria te waka e ngā kaiako.
The car will be waited for by the teachers.

E waiatatia ana ngā waiata e ngā tauira.
The songs are being sung by the students.

Ka ahatia koe?
What will happen to you?

Kua tirohia ngā tāonga e ngā tauira.
The treasures have been looked at by the students.

I nukuhia e au ngā ahi wera mai i ngā kōhatu ki te pouaka ki tōku hawera.
The hot ashes were moved by me from the stones to the box with my shovel.

Kei te torohia e te kairangahau ngā pukapuka.
The books are being looked at by the researcher.

I kōrerohia te pūrākau ki te reo Māori.
They story was told in the Māori language.

Kua kohia e ia ētahi waiata tawhito.
Some ancient songs have been collected by him.

Kei te kōrerotia ia e te kuramāhita.
She is being spoken to by the headmaster.

I kainga katoatia te kai.
The food was all eaten up.

Kei te kōrertia au.
I am being spoken about.

Kei te tahia te papa e ia.
The floor is being swept by him/her.

I taiāwhiotia te whare i te ture.
The house was surrounded by the police.

I patua au.
I was hit.

Kua whakakopaina ngā pūhera e ngā kaihoko.
The parcels have been wrapped by the shop assistants.

I herua ōku makawe.
My hair was combed.

Ka numia ki te pakitara maui o waho o te whare.
And led him past the outside of the left wall of the house.

Kei te whakaaro ia.
He is thinking.

Ka tohia te āporo e Mere.
The apple will be picked by Mere.

Kei te tunua te kai ki te ahi.
The food is being cooked by fire.

Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?

Kua whakapukapukakangia ā tātou kōrero.
Our talk has been turned into a book.

Kua haerea te ara ra.
That pathway has been travelled.

Kua inumia ā tātou waireka e ngā pakeke.
Our soft drinks have been drunk by the adults.

Kei te tākarohia te pōro e ngā tamariki.
The ball is being played with by the children.

Kua kikia te pāora e Rangi to Mia.
The ball was kicked by Rangi to Mia.

Kua tākarohia e mātou ngā kēmu e rua.
We've played the two games.

Ka mea atu ia ki a Mea kia meatia ngā mea katoa ki mea wāhi.
She told so-and-so to put all the things in such-and-such a place.

Kei te kōrertia e au.
It is being spoken by me.

Ka hokona te taonga e koe.
The gift will be bought by you.

Ka inumia te miraka e koe.
The milk will be drunk by you.

I tuhia tētahi reta e ia ki tōna hoa.
The letter was written by her to her sweetheart.

Ka tunua te keke.
The cake will be cooked.

Kei te whakaaronga ia.
He is being thought about.

I kainga katoatia te hākari.
The feast was all eaten up.

Kua hokona ngā hū e Hōne.
The shoes were bought by Hōne.

I utaina e au ngā kākahu ki roto i te mīhini horoi.
The clothes were loaded into the washing machine by me.

Kua patua ahau.
I have been hit.

I patua te kurī e te tamaiti.
The dog was hit by the child.

Kua tuhia te reta e Hine.
The letter has been written by Hine.

I hokona ngā rare rā e ia i taina hi.
Those lollies were purchased by her yesterday.

E mōhiotia whānuitia ana a Te Puea Hērangi e ngā tāngata Māori o te motu.
Te Puea Hērangi is widely known by Māori people from all over the land.

I wepua e mātou.
We thrashed them.

Kua kōrerotia te tamaiti e tōna kaiako.
The child has been spoken to by his/her teacher.

Kei te kimihia he whare mō te kura.
A house is being sought for the school.

Ka pūhia e ia te manu.
The bird was shot by him.

Ka horoia ngā kākahu mā e ia.
The white clothes will be washed by him.

I hoea te waka e ngā manuhiri ki te motu.
The boat was paddled by the guests to the island.

I tomokia te pā e ngā toa.
The pā was entered by the warriors.

Kia tae atu tātou ki Te Tairāwhitio, ka pōhiritia tātou.
When we get to the East Coast we will be welcomed.

I ngaua te tangata e to kurī.
The man was bitten by the dog.

Mehemea ki te kore e matu tō makamaka i te pāore, ka tangohia e au.
If you don't stop playing with the ball, I'll take it away.

I tāia ia e te moe.
He was overcome by sleep.

I utaina e au ngā kai ki roto i te torore.
The food was loaded into the trolley by me.

Ka mahia he waka mō tekau tāngata,.
A ten-man canoe was made.

Ke rāhuitia ēnei tauranga ike mā Ngāti-Kahukoka.
These fishing grounds were set aside for Ngāti-Kahukoka.

I ahatia koe?
What happened to you?

I patua te rango e te tangata.
The fly was hit by the man.

Kāhore tēnei kete i rarangatia ki te raupō.
This kit was not woven out of bulrushes.

Ka mihia mātou e te tangata whenua.
We were greeted by the home people.

I pōwhitritia mātou.
We were welcomed.

I kohia ngā pipi e au.
I gathered the pipi.

E kimihia ana he tikanga e ngā āpiha.
A plan is being sought by the officials.

E whāngaihia ana ngā kurī e Amaru.
The dogs are being fed by Amaru.

I patua e au.
It was hit by me.

I whakanohoia ahau i te kāinga.
I was grounded.

Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass was cut by me.

Kei te whakatikangia tōku waka e taku pāpā.
My car is being fixed by my father.

Kei te karangatia te ope e te wahine.
The group is being called by the woman.

Kua mahia te mahi e ngā tamariki.
The work was done by the children.

Kua kimihia e ia āna kī i ngā wāhi katoa.
He has searched everywhere for his keys. (Literally, his keys have been searched for everywhere.).

Kua waiatatia te waiata e māua.
The song has been sung by us.

Kua pāngia taua wahine e te mate.
That woman has been touched by sickness.

Kei te kōrerohia te kaupapa e te kaiako.
The topic is being discussed by the teacher.

E tapatapahia ana ngā aniana e ia.
The onions are being diced by him.

Kua kauhoetia e ia te awa.
She has swum the river.

I hiroia e Hera ngā pereti.
The dishes were washed by Hera.

Kua whāngaia te ngeru e a Rangi.
The cat was fed by Rangi.

Kei te awhitia te pēpi e tōna māmā.
The girl is being hugged by her mother.

Kei te kitea te kōtiro e tōna māmā.
The girl is being seen by her mother.

Kua kainga te parāoa e ngā rakiraki.
The bread has been eaten by the ducks.

Ka whākina koe.
I am going to tell on you.

Patua aku kupu!
Prove me wrong!

Ka whāngaitioa ringaringatia hoki a Ruataupare e tētahi tohunga.
Ruataupere was also fed by hand by a tohunga.

I mihia ahau.
I was acknowledged.

Ka rāhuitia ēnei tauranga ika mā Ngāti-Kahukoka.
These fishing grounds were set aside for Ngāti-Kahukoka.

Ka tukua te kurī e au.
The dog was released by me.

Ka whakapaingia te papa e ngā tamariki.
The floor will be cleaned by the children.

Kei te ahatia koe?
What is happening to you?

I kōhurutia te tangata ki te awa.
The man was murdered at the river.

I whāngaihia te tamaiti e tana kuia.
The child was adopted by his grandmother.

Kua pānuitia taua pukapuka e au.
I have read that (aforementioned) book.

Kāore anō tēnei pānui kia pānuitia e au.
I have not yet read this notice.

Kei te whitia au e te rā.
I am being shone on by the sun.

Kua kōrerohia e ia tēnei pukapuka.
He has read this book right through.

E tahia ana e Tame te papa.
The floor was swept by Tame.

Kua mahia e Ataahua he kapu tī mā rātou.
Ataahua has made them a cup of tea.

Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.

Kei te āwhinatia te hoa e au.
The friend is being helped by me.

Ki te kitea noatia e tētahi tangata mea...
If someone just sees something...

E tapatapahia ana ngā aniana e ia.
The onions are being diced by him.

Kei te topea te rākau e ia.
The tree was felled (by him).

Kia kauwhautia atu iana, e ahau, ki a koe.
Let me know recite this to you.

Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.

I pokea au e te mahi!
I am overwhelmed by the work!

I pōwhitritia mātou e Ngāti Toa.
We were welcomed by Ngāti Toa.

Ka haria ngā tamariki e au ki te papa tākaro.
The children will be taken by me to the playground.

Nō muri tata mai ka whakamihia ia mō āna mahi.
Shortly afterwards she was acknowledged for what she'd done.

Tapaia tonutia atu taua maunga nei ko Tirirau.
That mountain is still called Tihirua.

E kimihia ana te kiore e te ngeru.
The cat is searching for the rat.

Kitea rawatia ake rāua i runga i te maunga.
They were finally seen on the mountain.

Ka patua te ngeru e te kurī.
The cat will be attacked by the dog.

I mihia e ahau.
They were acknowledged by me.

I huakina te kūwaha e te kōtiro.
The door was opened by the girl.

I horoia ngā kākahu e au i tērā Rāhoroi.
The clothes were washed by me on Saturday.

Auē, kua rakahia te whare? Nā wai i raka te whare? Ehara i a au.
Oh no! Has the house been locked? Who locked the house? It wasn't me.

Kua horoia ngā rīhi e ngā tamariki.
The dishes have been washed by the children.

I whiria te tū harakeke e te kuia.
The flax belt was braided by the old woman.

Kua kimihia tāna waea pūkoro i ngā wāhi katoa.
His cell phone has been searched for everywhere.

E inumia ana te miraka e te ngeru.
The milk is being drunk by the cat.

Mahia ai tēnei mahi i ngā rā omua.
This work was carried out in former times.

I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.

Kei te waiatahia mātou.
We are being sung about.

Kua ahatia koe?
What has happened to you?

I utaina e au ngā kākahu ki roto i te mīhini horoi.
The clothes were loaded into the washing machine by me.

Ka kīia te wharepaku e ngā manuhiri.
The bathroom will be used by the guests.

E whakamākūtia ana ngā kākahu e te ua.
The clothes are being drenched by the rain.

I hoea te waka e ngā manuhiri ki te motu.
The boat was paddled by the guests to the island.

I te pānuitia te kupu.
The message was being read out.

Kua tīkina ngā kākahu horoi e ngā tamariki.
The clean clothes have been fetched by the children.

He tūranga motuhake tō te reo Māori i waenganui i ngā reo e kōrerotia ana i Aotearoa nei.
Māori has a special position amongst the languages spoken here in Aotearoa.

Whitiwhitia e te rā.
Transformed by the sun.

Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rain

Kua tapahia te pātītī e au.
The grass has been cut by me.

I pātaitia au.
I was questioned.

I te ngahuru i hauhaketia e rātou ngā riwai.
In the autumn, they harvested potatoes.

I topea te rākau e Rōpata.
The tree was cut by Bob.

I kohia ngā pipi e au.
I gathered the pipi.

Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?

I hokona ngā ika e ia.
The fish were bought by him.

I runga i te paruone ka mahia e ia he raina mai i te kēti ki te whare ki tana rākau.
He drew a line in the dirt from the gate to the house with his stick.

E kimihia ana he tikanga.
A plan is/was being sought.

Ka horoia ngā rīhi e ngā tama ā te pō nei.
The dishes will be washed by the boys tonight.

I taupokitia te oneone e te paruauru.
The soil was dug by the gardener.

Tokohia ngā tāngata i tae atu ki reira?
How many people arrived there?

I mātakitakitua e au tērā hōtaka i tētrā wikil.
That programme was watched by me last week.

E kainga ana ngā rīwai e te pēpi.
The potatoes are being eaten by the baby.