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

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

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

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

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

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

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

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

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

Whakarongo atu!
Listen (out for something)!

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

Oma atu i a ia!
Run away from her!

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

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

Kōrero atu ki a Niko.
Speak to Niko.

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

Whakaae atu ana a Te Tahi.
Te Tahi agreed.

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

Mauria atu te ika nei!
Take this fish away!

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

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

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

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

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.

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

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

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

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

Ka pangaa atu to pāoro e Hēmi ki a Tame.
Hēmi passes the ball to Tame.

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

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

I nahea koe i wehe atu ai ki Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa?
When did you leave for Gisborne?

Puta atu koe.
Get out.

Pātai atu ki a Matua Kūkara.
Ask Uncle Google.

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

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

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

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

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