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