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