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