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