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