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