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