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

Whakarongo atu!
Listen (out for something)!

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

Puta atu koe.
Get out.

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

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

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

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

Whakaae atu ana a Te Tahi.
Te Tahi agreed.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Pātai atu ki te pirihimana.
Ask the police officer.

Kōrero atu ki a Nikau.
Speak to Nikau.

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.

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

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

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

Pātai atu ki a Matua Kūkara.
Ask Uncle Google.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

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.

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

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

Oma atu i a ia!
Run away from her!

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

Mauria atu te ika nei!
Take this fish away!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

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

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

I nahea koe i wehe atu ai ki Waikanae?
When did you leave for Waikanae?

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

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