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