| 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!
Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!Tangohia ō kākahu!
Take off your clothes!Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.Tukua ki te nūpepa!
Send it to the newspaper!Tāpapa!
Lie face down!Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!Whakapaitia tō moenga!
Make your bed!Nekehia ki Kapiti!
Move to Kapiti!Homai ana pukapuka!
Give me her books!Whakawāteahia he wāhi ki te kāuta.
Clear a space in the kitchen.Kainga tāu āporo!
Eat your apple!Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te kuhu i ōna kākahu!
Help your sister put her clothes on!Whakatikahia ngā mahi i te whare mō te hui.
Prepare the work at the house for the meeting.Whakarewa!
Melt!Whakarongo ki tēnei waiata!
Listen to this song!Homai ēnā māti!
Pass me those matches!Riringihia he wai ki roto.
Pour in some water.Tīkina te ūkui papa.
Get the mop.Pānuitia te pukapuka.
Read the book.Ka tāpirihia ngā panana.
Add the banana.Hoatu te tuna ki te pēke!
Put the eel in the sack!Tikina atu tāu pukapuka!
Go and get your book!Whakakāngia te umu.
Turn on the oven.Tangohia ō hū!
Take off your shoes!Horoia ngā kanohi o ngā tamariki nohinohi!
Wash the little children's faces!Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!Whakapaitia ngā moenga!
Make the beds!Tātaihia!
Recite it!Inumia te miraka!
Drink the milk!Awhinatia tāu tuahine ki te whakakākahu i a ia anō!
Help your sister to get herself dressed!Tīkina atu te pukapuka mai i te tēpu.
Fetch the book from the table.Tīkina te waka ki te marae.
Fetch the car from the marae.Waihotia ngā kai ki runga i te tēpu mō te rā whānau.
Leave the food on the table for the birthday.Kohimutia mai ki taku taringa.
Whisper it in my ear.Pupuritia taku ringaringa.
Hold my hand.Whakatikahia te tēpu mō te kai.
Set the table for the meal.Whakarongo!
Listen!Tīkina ngā taputapu i te rūma ki te hanga i te whare.
Fetch the tools from the room to build the house.Hōmai he parāoa māku.
Give me some bread.Tikina atu āu pukapuka!
Go and get your books!Tāpirihia he huka.
Add some sugar.Hoatu ngā pukapuka ki runga i te papa pukapuka.
Put the books on the bookshelf.Haria ngā tamariki ki te kura i te ata.
Take the children to school in the morning.Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!Tīkina he tūru anō.
Fetch another chair.Katia ō whatu.
Close your eyes.Huakina te matapihi!
Open the window!Waruhia te kiri rēmana.
Grate the lemon rind.Whakapiatia ō hū!
Polish your shoes!Tapahia kia ono ngā topenga.
Cut it up into six slices.Kainga tō parakuihi!
Eat your breakfast!Whakapaitia tōu rūma moe.
Tidy your bedroom.Katia te kuaha.
Close the door.Pāwhiritia te tohu tīwhiri ka whakautu ai i te pātai.
Click the clue symbol in each box to reveal the question.Katia te kūaha!
Close the door!Tangohia tō hingareti!
Take off your singlet!Tīkina ōu kākahu paru!
Fetch your dirty clothes!Āwhinatia rātou!
Look after them!Mauria atu ērā oka!
Take those knives away!Tiakina a Hera!
Look after Hera!Whāia te mātauranga!
Pursue education!Ringihia mai te wai ki tāku kapu.
Pour the water into my cup.Hūtia ngā taru!
Pull the weeds out!Maranga!
Get up!Hoatu te huka ki roto i te kāpata.
Put the sugar into the cupboard.Arohatia te reo!
Love the language!Tīkina atu he huka.
Fetch some sugar.Whakamaua ngā tōkena!
Put on the socks!Manaakitia ngā manuhiri ki te kai, ki te kōrero.
Look after the guests with food and good conversation.Me pukumahi koe.
You should work hard!Whakahokia ngā rīhi ki te kāpata i muri i te kai.
Return the dishes to the cupboard after the meal.Katia te kuaha o te motokā.
Close the car door.Pānuitia te reo Māori ki a koe anō.
Read Māori aloud.Tīkina tō pukapuka.
Fetch your book.Tangohia ō tōkena!
Take off your socks!Homai he wai arani māku.
Pass an orange juice for me.Tīkina kia whā ngā hēki.
Get four eggsNō wai ēnei hū māwhero?
To whom do these pink shoes belong?Whakatakotoria te koha!
Lay the gift down!Whakahanumitia ngā mea mākū.
Mix together the wet ingredients.Unuhia ki te uru tapu nui!
Draw on the superme sacredness!Inumia te wai!
Drink the water!Puritia ngā taha o te waka kei taka koe!
Hold on to the sides of the waka lest you fall!Tiakina te tangata whana!
See to the injured person!Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.Tāpirihia te miraka.
Put in the milk.Āwhinatia te ngeru kia piki ki runga i te tūru.
Help the cat climb onto the chair.Katia ngā ārai.
Shut the curtains.Whakapaingia te whare i mua i te taenga mai o ngā manuhiri.
Clean the house before the guests arrive.Riringihia te miraka.
Pour the milk.Me whakapono mai!
You should believe in me!Whakairihia ngā kākahu ki runga i te rākau.
Hang the clothes on the line.Whakarerea ngā tūru ki roto i te rūma hui.
Leave the chairs in the meeting room.Kātia te kuaha kia kaua e uru mai te hau.
Close the door to prevent the wind from coming in.Tikina tō pōtae.
Fetch your hat.Tuatahi, horoia ōu ringaringa!
Firstly, wash your hands!Waiho ō hū ki te kūaha.
Leave your shoes at the door.Tīkina he wai!
Fetch some water!Whakatikaina ēnei rerenga!
Correct these sentences.