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