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