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

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.

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

Kei kō atu te ngahere i te awa.
The bush is beyond the river.

Kōrero atu ki a Nikau.
Speak to Nikau.

Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!

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

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

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

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

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

Pātai atu ki te pirihimana.
Ask the police officer.

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

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

Whakaae atu ana a Te Tahi.
Te Tahi agreed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Pātai atu ki a Matua Kūkara.
Ask Uncle Google.

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

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

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!

Whakarongo atu!
Listen (out for something)!

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

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.

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

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

Puta atu koe.
Get out.

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

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

Mauria atu te ika nei!
Take this fish away!

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

Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!

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

Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.

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