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