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