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