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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Horoia e te ua
Washed by the rain

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

Whitiwhitia e te rā.
Transformed by the sun.

Kei te ahatia koe?
What is happening to you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I wepua mātou.
We were thrashed.

I wepua e mātou.
We thrashed them.

I mihia ahau.
I was acknowledged.

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

Kei te waiata mātou.
We are singing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kua whakarekatia te inu.
The drink has been sweetened.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I ahatia koe?
What happened to you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I wepu mātou.
We thrashed them.

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

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

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

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

I pātaitia au.
I was questioned.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kei te kōrertia au.
I am being spoken about.

I arohaina a Taika e Tawa.
Taika was loved by Tawa.

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

I hopukia tēnei manu.
This bird was caught.

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

Ka kōrerotia au.
I am spoken to/about.

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

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

Kei te whakaaro ia.
He is thinking.

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

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

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

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

Hāponotia tōku hē!
Prove me wrong!

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

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

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

I pōwhitritia mātou.
We were welcomed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kei te whakaaronga ia.
He is being thought about.

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

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

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

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

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

Kua kikia te pāora e Aroha to Pāora.
The ball was kicked by Aroha to Pāora.

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

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

I herua ōku makawe.
My hair was combed.

Ka tunua te keke.
The cake will be cooked.

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

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

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

Kua patua ahau.
I have been hit.

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

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.

I whakanohoia ahau i te kāinga.
I was grounded.

Nōnahea rātou i pōwhiritia ai?
When were they welcomed?

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

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

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

I mihia e ahau.
They were acknowledged by me.

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

Ka hangaia te whare e au.
The house is built 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 horoia ngā kākahu mā e ia.
The white clothes will be washed by him.

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

Kua whakapaitia tōu ruma?
Has your room been tidied?

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kei te waiatahia mātou.
We are being sung about.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

Ka ahatia koe?
What will happen to you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Patua aku kupu!
Prove me wrong!

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