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

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

Pātai atu ki a Matua Kūkara.
Ask Uncle Google.

Kōrero atu ki a Manu.
Speak to Manu.

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

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

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.

Whakarongo atu!
Listen (out for something)!

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

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

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

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

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

Pātai atu ki te pirihimana.
Ask the police officer.

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

Puta atu koe.
Get out.

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

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

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

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

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

Ka pangaa atu to pāoro e Tawa ki a Pāora.
Tawa passes the ball to Pāora.

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

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

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

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

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

Oma atu i a ia!
Run away from her!

Whakaae atu ana a Te Tahi.
Te Tahi agreed.

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

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

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

Mauria atu te ika nei!
Take this fish away!

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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