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