Māori Grammar

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka āwhinatia a Ataahua e Tawa.
Ataahua was helped by Tawa.

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

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.

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

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

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 tahia ana e Hēmi te papa.
The floor was swept by Hēmi.

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

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

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

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

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

Kua kikia te pāora e Nikau to Amaru.
The ball was kicked by Nikau to Amaru.

Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 kohia ngā pipi e au.
I gathered the pipi.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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 pēhia rawatia ngā wāhine.
The women were severely oppressed.

I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rain

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 nōhia ngā tūru.
The chairs will be sat on.

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

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

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

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

Whitiwhitia e te rā.
Transformed by the sun.

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.

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

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

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

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.