Māori Grammar
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There are four directional markers in te reo Māori:
mai - towards me
atu - away from me
ake - up
iho - down
Atu is used to describe action away from the speaker.
Haere atu!
Go away.
Me kōrero atu koe.
You should speak to someone else.
You speak over there (away from me).
Literally: You should speak away.
Kei te haere atu a Hone.
John is going away.
Atu is also used as an intensifier, especially when used with rawa:
He tino pai rawa atu tōu reo.
Your voice is very good indeed.
Kei te haere atu ngā tamariki ki korā.
The children are going away over there.Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.Ka tae atu rāua ki Ōtautahi.
They arrived there in Christchurch.E tama, mauria atu he tūru māna.
Hey boy, take a chair for her.Ka mutu te hui, ka haere atu ngā manuhiri ki te whare kai.
When the meeting ended, the visitors went to the eating house.Pātai atu ki a Matua Kūkara.
Ask Uncle Google.Kōrero atu ki a Amaru.
Speak to Amaru.Ka tangi atu te manu ki ana hoa.
The bird calls to his friends.Kei kō atu te ngahere i te awa.
The bush is beyond the river.Kia tīkina atu he whakataukī e hāngai ana kī tēnei kaupapa...
Let me grab a proverb...Kua tae atu te tokorua nei ki te wharekai.
The pair have arrived at the restaurant.Pātai atu ki te kaihoko mō te utu.
Ask the salesperson for the price.Kuhu atu ki roto i tō moenga.
Get in your bed.Oma atu i a ia!
Run away from her!Whakapangia atu ki muri rawa o te pouaka.
Stick it to the far side of the box.Mauria atu te ika nei!
Take this fish away!Hei āpōpō haere atu ai au ki te tāone.
Tomorrow I am going to town.Kuhu atu te kī ki raro i te takapau.
Hide the key under the mat.Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.Āta hīkoi atu kei kuhu ō waewae ki te paru.
Walk carefully so you don't step in the mud.Ka heare tonu atu nei ahau.
I'll go right now.Ka whakamau atu au i te kope mā.
I'll put a fresh nappy on.Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!Tokomaha i haere atu ki tōna tangihanga.
Many went to her funeral.Ka pangaa atu to pāoro e Ari ki a Rangi.
Ari passes the ball to Rangi.Tae atu a Ponga ki tana taha.
Ponga reached her side.I nahea koe i wehe atu ai ki Tāmaki-makau-rau?
When did you leave for Auckland?Whakaae atu ana a Te Tahi.
Te Tahi agreed.Kua tae atu koe ki Te Rerenga Wairua?
Have you been to Cape Reinga.Hoki atu ki tērā kokonga.
Go back to that corner over there.Kua tae atu rātou ki Rotorua.
They have arrived in Rotorua.Katia atu te kuaha.
Shut the door to keep the outside noise out!Ka haere atu ia.
She moved away (she left).Te rongonga atu o Amaru i te kōrero a tana tuahine...
When Amaru heard what his sister said...Whakarongo atu!
Listen (out for something)!Haria atu tēnei ki a Pāpā.
Take this to Daddy.Hoki atu ki te rūma rā!
Return to that room!Pātai atu ki te pirihimana.
Ask the police officer.Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!Inahea koe i haere atu ai ki te tāone?
When did you go to town?Tae rawa atu te whānau ki te hōhipera, kua hoki kē te koroua ki tōna kāinga.
By the time the family arrived at the hospital, the old man had already gone home.Te taunga rawatanga atu o Paki i te waka, ka tīmata ia ki te kaukau.
As soon as Paki jumped out of the boat, he began swimming.E tāria atu nei a tuahangata.
The man of the moment is being waited for.E oma atu ā tāua tamariki hōhā.
Our exasperating children are running away.Tīkina atu he miraka, he paraoa hoki.
Get some milk and some bread too.I whai atu a ia i te ahi kāpara.
He followed [her] by means of the burning torch.Pātai atu ki te kaihoko mō te utu.
Ask the salesperson for the price.I te ono karaka, kua tae atu rātou ki Ōmihi.
By six o'clock they had got to Ōmihi.