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