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