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