Māori Grammar

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I'm coming. You're going.

haere mai, haere atu

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.

See also:

• Above, underneath, outside of - runga ake, raro iho, waho atu, roto atu

Kuhu atu te kī ki raro i te takapau.
Hide the key under the mat.

Hoki atu ki te rūma rā!
Return to that room!

I te ono karaka, kua tae atu rātou ki Ōmihi.
By six o'clock they had got to Ōmihi.

Hei āpōpō au tae atu ai.
I will come tomorrow.

Kua tae atu rātou ki Rotorua.
They have arrived in Rotorua.

Pātai atu ki a Matua Kūkara.
Ask Uncle Google.

E tāria atu nei a tuahangata.
The man of the moment is being waited for.

Kuhu atu ki roto i tō moenga.
Get in your bed.

Te rongonga atu o Niko i te kōrero a tana tuahine...
When Niko heard what his sister said...

Katia atu te kuaha.
Shut the door to keep the outside noise out!

Ka tangi atu te manu ki ana hoa.
The bird calls to his friends.

Ka pangaa atu to pāoro e Koa ki a Taika.
Koa passes the ball to Taika.

Inahea koe i haere atu ai ki te tāone?
When did you go to town?

Hoki atu ki tērā kokonga.
Go back to that corner over there.

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Haria atu tēnei ki a Pāpā.
Take this to Daddy.

Kua tae atu koe ki Te Rerenga Wairua?
Have you been to Cape Reinga.

Kōrero atu ki a Taika.
Speak to Taika.

Tīkina atu he miraka, he paraoa hoki.
Get some milk and some bread too.

Ka tae atu rāua ki Ōtautahi.
They arrived there in Christchurch.

E oma atu ā tāua tamariki hōhā.
Our exasperating children are running away.

Kei te haere atu ngā tamariki ki korā.
The children are going away over there.

Mauria atu te ika nei!
Take this fish away!

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.

I whai atu a ia i te ahi kāpara.
He followed [her] by means of the burning torch.

Āta hīkoi atu kei kuhu ō waewae ki te paru.
Walk carefully so you don't step in the mud.

E tama, mauria atu he tūru māna.
Hey boy, take a chair for her.

Pātai atu ki te kaihoko mō te utu.
Ask the salesperson for the price.

Ka whakamau atu au i te kope mā.
I'll put a fresh nappy on.

I nahea koe i wehe atu ai ki Te Tai Rāwhiti?
When did you leave for the Eastland region?

Oma atu i a ia!
Run away from her!

Puta atu koe.
Get out.

Whakarongo atu!
Listen (out for something)!

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.

Kia tīkina atu he whakataukī e hāngai ana kī tēnei kaupapa...
Let me grab a proverb...

Ka haere atu ia.
She moved away (she left).

Pātai atu ki te kaihoko mō te utu.
Ask the salesperson for the price.

Kei kō atu te ngahere i te awa.
The bush is beyond the river.

Tae atu a Ponga ki tana taha.
Ponga reached her side.

Ka mutu te hui, ka haere atu ngā manuhiri ki te whare kai.
When the meeting ended, the visitors went to the eating house.

Whakaae atu ana a Te Tahi.
Te Tahi agreed.

Tokomaha i haere atu ki tōna tangihanga.
Many went to her funeral.

Pātai atu ki te pirihimana.
Ask the police officer.

Whakapangia atu ki muri rawa o te pouaka.
Stick it to the far side of the box.

Ka heare tonu atu nei ahau.
I'll go right now.

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Hei āpōpō haere atu ai au ki te tāone.
Tomorrow I am going to town.

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

Kua tae atu te tokorua nei ki te wharekai.
The pair have arrived at the restaurant.