Māori Grammar

Mai is one of the direction particles in te reo Māori, along with atu (away from), iho (downwards) and ake (upwards).

It is used in sentences that clearly mean "towards me":

Haere mai.
Come to me.

Kōrero mai.
Talk to me.

Whakarongo mai.
Listen to me.

Titiro mai!
Look here!

Kua hoki mai ia.
She has returned (here).

Kua tae mai ngā manuhiri.
The guests have arrived (here).

However, it is often used in te reo Māori where a meaning of "towards me" is not obvious.

For example:

Kua noho mai ia ki Tāmaki Makaurau mō ngā tau e rima.
She has been living in Auckland for five years.

The mai does not mean “towards me”; it shows that her residence began in the past and continues up to the present moment. In this context, mai means "from then up to this point in time":

Kua mōhio mai au ki tēnei tikanga mō te tekau tau.
I have known this custom for ten years.

See also:

• Direction markers with adverbs - tonu mai, kā atu, rawa mai...

▶

I'm coming. You're going.

haere mai, haere atu

▶

Give me those!

hōmai and hōatu

Pānuihia mai te whārangi tuarua.
Read me the second page.

Tokohia kē mai nei ngā tāngata e tae mai ana mō te kai!
What a lot of people are arriving for the food!

Kō ēnei waka e rua, i ū mai ki Hokianga.
These two canoes landed at Hokianga.

Auē! E haere tonu mai ana te pūru!
Oh! The bull is still coming!

Haere mai ki te kaukau.
Come for a bath.

Kua tae mai a Taika.
Taika has arrived.

Kia ora mai tātou katoa.
Greetings to all of us.

Mauria mai ngā toka ki tēnei taha o te whare.
Bring the stones to this side of the house.

Kei te menemene mai te pēpi.
The baby is smiling at me.

I tau mai te waka ki uta, me te karanga atu a te iwi e tatari ana.
The canoe came to shore while the people who were waiting called out.

Ka hoki mai au i te rua haora.
I'll be back in two hours.

Tangohia mai ngā tūru.
Take the chairs down.

Ka haere mai ia āpōpō.
She is coming here tomorrow.

Haere mai ki konei!
Come here! (to this place/to where i am)

Tatari mai i konā, e te tau.
Wait there, my darling.

Mihi mai ki a mātou.
Greet us.

Āe, haere mai ki te kai.
Yes, come to eat.

Ki te tae mai a Haki mā, ka tere oti ngā mahi.
If Haki and the others arrive, then the work will be.

I tae mai ngā manuhuri.
The visitors arrived.

Kua hoki mai ia i te pahi.
She has come back from the bus.

Whiua mai te pōro.
Throw me the ball.

Tēnā haria mai he āporo māku, e kō?
Can you bring me an apple please, dear?

Kia tae mai pea ia.
I hope she comes.

Tukuna mai mā te tuhinga kūkara.
Send it to me via google doc.

Kei te ata ka eke mai ka patu.
In the morning they will arrive and attack.

Kei te whai mai koe i ahau.
Do you follow me?

Karanga mai, karanga mai, karanga mai!
Call me! Call me! Call me!

Ka rīngi mai ia a te awatea.
She'll ring in the middle of the day.

Me kōmuhu mai koe ki a au.
You should whisper it to me.

I haere mai au ki te inu,.
I came here to drink.

Tēnā koutou kua hui mai nei i tēnei rā!
Greetings to you who are gathered here on this day!

Ka haere mai rātou a te Mane.
They will come on Monday.

Kahore ia i whakawātea mai mua o te haka.
He didn't move away from the front of the haka.

Kei te hiahia au kia whakarongo mai koe!
I want you to listen!

Ka hoki mai au ākuanei.
I'll come back soon.

I hoki mai koe inanahi?
Did you come bach yesterday?

Ā, kua hoki mai taku mokopuna.
Ah, my grandchild has returned.