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...

I arohaina a Hēmi e Nikau.
Hēmi was loved by Nikau.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Patua aku kupu!
Prove me wrong!

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

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

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

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

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

Ka tunua te keke.
The cake will be cooked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka ahatia koe?
What will happen to you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I wepu mātou.
We thrashed them.

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

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

I wepua e mātou.
We thrashed them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I wepua mātou.
We were thrashed.

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

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

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

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

Kei te kōrertia au.
I am being spoken about.

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

I herua ōku makawe.
My hair was combed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

I whakanohoia ahau i te kāinga.
I was grounded.

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

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

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

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

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

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.).

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

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

Hāponotia tōku hē!
Prove me wrong!

Kei te waiata mātou.
We are singing.

I pātaitia au.
I was questioned.

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

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

Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rain

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

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

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.

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

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

I mihia ahau.
I was acknowledged.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kei te ahatia koe?
What is happening to you?

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

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

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

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

I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.

Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?

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.

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

Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.

Kei te waiatahia mātou.
We are being sung about.

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

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

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

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 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.

I ahatia koe?
What happened to you?

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

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

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

Ka āwhinatia a Aroha e Hera.
Aroha was helped by Hera.

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

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

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

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

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.

Kua patua ahau.
I have been hit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Kei te whakaaronga ia.
He is being thought about.

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

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

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

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

I pōwhitritia mātou.
We were welcomed.

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

Kei te whakaaro ia.
He is thinking.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I mihia e ahau.
They were acknowledged by me.

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

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

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

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

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