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