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