☰
☰

Māori Grammar

PreviousBack Next
Away - atu
I'm coming. You're going.
▶
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:

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

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

Mauria atu te ika nei!
Take this fish away!

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

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

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

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

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

Whakarongo atu!
Listen (out for something)!

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

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

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

Whakaae atu ana a Te Tahi.
Te Tahi agreed.

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

Puta atu koe.
Get out.

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.

Oma atu i a ia!
Run away from her!

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Ka pangaa atu to pāoro e Manu ki a Rangi.
Manu passes the ball to Rangi.

Kōrero atu ki a Hera.
Speak to Hera.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pātai atu ki a Matua Kūkara.
Ask Uncle Google.

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

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.