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