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