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