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