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