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