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