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