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