Māori Grammar

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Down - iho

There are four directional markers in te reo Māori:

mai - towards me
atu - away from me
ake - up
iho - down

Iho can mean "down" literally or figuratively.

Peke iho!
Jump down!

He taonga tuku iho.
An heirloom handed down.

Iho is also used with adjectives to mean "less":

raro iho
lower

iti iho
less

Ka titiro iho te marama ki a Rona.
The moon looked down at Rona.

Ka heke iho ko ngā roimata.
The tears fall down (representing the rain).

Kua tau iho te kōtuku.
The white heron has landed.

Whātuia iho a runga o te kākahu kotahi e mau i a ia.
The top of the garment she wore was folded down.

Kei te heke iho ngā tāngata i te ara piki.
People are coming down the path.

Kei te heke iho a Ataahua i te rākau.
Ataahua is descending down from the tree.

Kei te heke iho mai nei te ua.
The rain is coming down.

Te rangonga o te iwi o te i te haruru, ka oma iho ki te mātakitaki haka.
When the people of the pā heard the noise, they ran down to hear the haka.

Kua here iho te utu.
The price has come down.

Ātaahua hoki te tiaho iho o ngā whetū!
How lovely the stars are shining down!

Kei te heke iho a Ari ki raro.
Ari is heading down to the bottom.