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#94: Cause the book to be open!

whaka-
The causative prefix — whaka-
In te reo Māori, words can change meaning using suffixes (added to the end) and prefixes (added to the beginning). The prefix kai- indicates a person who performs an action (e.g., kaiako – teacher). The prefix whaka- means “to cause something to happen.” Combined with passive suffixes like -hia, these forms often create commands such as Whakapaihia tō rūma (“Tidy your room”).

Video

Vocabulary

ā • āe • ahau • āhua • ake • ake, ake, ake • āku • āna • ātaahua • atu • au • āwangawanga • e hoa mā • e tū • engari • haere mā raro • haunga • hiahia • hiainu • hiakai • hiamoe • hīkoi • hoa • hōhā • hōiho • hou • i • ia • iho • iti • ka • kaha • katoa • kau • keke • kēkē • ki • kia • Kia kaha! • kia ora • kino • ko wai • koe • koro • kōrua • koutou • kōwhai • kua •  • mai • māua • māuiui • ngenge • noho • nui • ō • oma • ora • pai • pango • pēhea? •  • rātau • rāua • rūma moe • taku • tama • tamaiti • tamariki • tana • tātou • tāua • tere • tino •  • wāhine • waiata • whaea • whero
← #93: Tidy your room!
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#95: The cake was eaten by me →