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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kua patua ahau.
I have been hit.

Kei te ahatia koe?
What is happening to you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

I herua ōku makawe.
My hair was combed.

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

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

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

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

I ahatia koe?
What happened to you?

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

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.

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

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

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

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

I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.

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

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

Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rain

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Kei te waiata mātou.
We are singing.

I wepua e mātou.
We thrashed them.

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

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

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

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

Ka ahatia koe?
What will happen to you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kei te waiatahia mātou.
We are being sung about.

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

Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?

Kei te whakaaro ia.
He is thinking.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.).

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

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

Kei te kōrertia au.
I am being spoken about.

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.

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

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

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.

Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.

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

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

Ka tunua te keke.
The cake will be cooked.

I wepua mātou.
We were thrashed.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I pātaitia au.
I was questioned.

Kua kikia te pāora e Hera to Tawa.
The ball was kicked by Hera to Tawa.

I wepu mātou.
We thrashed them.

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

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

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

Kei te whakaaronga ia.
He is being thought about.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?

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

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

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

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

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

Patua aku kupu!
Prove me wrong!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whitiwhitia e te rā.
Transformed by the sun.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

I pōwhitritia mātou.
We were welcomed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Ka āwhinatia a Pāora e Koa.
Pāora was helped by Koa.

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

I mihia e ahau.
They were acknowledged by me.

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

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

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

I whakanohoia ahau i te kāinga.
I was grounded.

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

I mihia ahau.
I was acknowledged.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hāponotia tōku hē!
Prove me wrong!

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

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

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