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