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