Māori Grammar

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kua kikia te pāora e Honi to Koa.
The ball was kicked by Honi to Koa.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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

Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rain

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Whitiwhitia e te rā.
Transformed by the sun.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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