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