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