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