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