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