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