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