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