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