Māori Grammar

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Ka hangaia te whare e au.
The house is built 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 whāngaitioa ringaringatia hoki a Ruataupare e tētahi tohunga.
Ruataupere was also fed by hand by a tohunga.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.

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

Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?

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

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

Whitiwhitia e te rā.
Transformed by the sun.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.).

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

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

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

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