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