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