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