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