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