Who Receives the Action

Level 3

Basic affirmative pattern: particle + passive verb + affected subject + optional e phrase.

How It Works

Use the verb's established passive form. In a basic affirmative clause, the affected subject follows the predicate without active object i. A personal-name subject retains personal article a. An optional e phrase identifies the actor. The passive suffix does not change with subject number.

Compare I horoi a Mere i ngā kapu., “Mere washed the cups,” with I horoia ngā kapu e Mere., “The cups were washed by Mere.” The cups become subject; Mere receives agent marking.

An indefinite phrase can also be subject: Kua karia he rua iti., “A small hole has been dug.” Omitting the actor leaves their identity unstated. These examples illustrate transitive passives; Māori passive constructions also extend beyond ordinary direct objects.

Examples (4)

  1. I horoia ngā kapu e Mere.

    The cups were washed by Mere.

    Ngā kapu is the passive subject.

  2. Kei te hikitia te pouaka e Hēmi.

    The box is being lifted by Hēmi.

    Te pouaka is affected; e Hēmi identifies the actor.

  3. Kua karia he rua iti.

    A small hole has been dug.

    The indefinite passive subject has no stated actor.

  4. I horoia te pereti.

    The plate was washed.

    The passive subject follows the predicate without object i.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Who Receives the ActionLevel 3

Learn This First

Focus on participant roles in the washing contrast: the cups become the subject and Mere receives separate actor marking. Definite and indefinite affected subjects can occur, and the actor may remain unstated.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.