| Previous | Back | Next |
There are some words which describe an action that can be done on its own, without reference to anything else. For example, I can run. The word "run" is known as an "intransitive verb". There other words that describe an action that does relate to something else. While I can say "I am reading" or "I am singing", it is implied that I am reading something or singing something. I might be reading a book or singing a song. These kind of verbs are known as "transitive verbs".
When giving a command to a person to do something, if the verb is transitive, then we use a passive ending. For example:
Pānuihia!
Read!
Because the verb "read" is transitive (we read something), then the passive ending is used to make this word a command. This true of other words that are transitive.
Riringihia!
Pour!
Kohia ngā parapara.
Collect up the rubbish.
When giving commands, we do not use a passive ending for intransitive verbs. For example, the word "stand" is intransitive and so would simply say: e tu! to give someone the command to stand - it does not take a passive ending.
When giving commands using the passive, we do not use i or ki to identifty the object of the sentence. For example, we would say:
Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat
and not:
*Tikina i tō pōtae.*
Fetch your hat
Compare the following, where an active command uses ki but the passive command does not:
Titiro ki te mainga!
Look at the mountain!
Titirohia te mainga!
Look at the mountain!
Whakarongo!
Listen!Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.Haria ngā tamariki ki te kura i te ata.
Take the children to school in the morning.Whakatikahia ngā mahi i te whare mō te hui.
Prepare the work at the house for the meeting.Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.Whakatikahia te tēpu mō te kai.
Set the table for the meal.Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.Whakairihia ngā kākahu ki runga i te rākau.
Hang the clothes on the line.Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!Whakapaingia te whare i mua i te taenga mai o ngā manuhiri.
Clean the house before the guests arrive.Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!Tātaihia!
Recite it!Unuhia ki te uru tapu nui!
Draw on the superme sacredness!Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.Tīkina atu te pukapuka mai i te tēpu.
Fetch the book from the table.Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.Homai he wai arani māku.
Pass an orange juice for me.Manaakitia ngā manuhiri ki te kai, ki te kōrero.
Look after the guests with food and good conversation.Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.Tiakina a Tame!
Look after Tame!Tāpapa!
Lie face down!Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te kuhu i ōna kākahu!
Help your sister put her clothes on!Āwhinatia te ngeru kia piki ki runga i te tūru.
Help the cat climb onto the chair.Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.Tīkina te waka ki te marae.
Fetch the car from the marae.Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!Tuatahi, horoia ōu ringaringa!
Firstly, wash your hands!Whakarerea ngā tūru ki roto i te rūma hui.
Leave the chairs in the meeting room.Hoatu ngā pukapuka ki runga i te papa pukapuka.
Put the books on the bookshelf.Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!Kātia te kuaha kia kaua e uru mai te hau.
Close the door to prevent the wind from coming in.Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!Katia te kuaha o te motokā.
Close the car door.Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!Waihotia ngā kai ki runga i te tēpu mō te rā whānau.
Leave the food on the table for the birthday.Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te whakakākahu i a ia anō!
Help your sister to get herself dressed!Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.Whakawāteahia he wāhi ki te kāuta.
Clear a space in the kitchen.Waiho ō hū ki te kūaha.
Leave your shoes at the door.Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!Horoia ngā kanohi o ngā tamariki nohinohi!
Wash the little children's faces!Ringihia mai te wai ki tāku kapu.
Pour the water into my cup.Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggsMaranga!
Get up!Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.Tīkina ngā taputapu i te rūma ki te hanga i te whare.
Fetch the tools from the room to build the house.Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.Puritia ngā taha o te waka kei taka koe!
Hold on to the sides of the waka lest you fall!Hoatu te huka ki roto i te kāpata.
Put the sugar into the cupboard.Whakahokia ngā rīhi ki te kāpata i muri i te kai.
Return the dishes to the cupboard after the meal.Nō wai ēnei hū māwhero?
To whom do these pink shoes belong?Pānuitia te reo Māori ki a koe anō.
Read Māori aloud.Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!Pāwhiritia te tohu tīwhiri ka whakautu ai i te pātai.
Click the clue symbol in each box to reveal the question.Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.Hoatu te tuna ki te pēke!
Put the eel in the sack!Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.Whakarewa!
Melt!Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!