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