Māori Grammar
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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.
Tokomaha i haere atu ki tōna tangihanga.
Many went to her funeral.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!Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!Katia atu te kuaha.
Shut the door to keep the outside noise out!Kuhu atu ki roto i tō moenga.
Get in your bed.E tama, mauria atu he tūru māna.
Hey boy, take a chair for her.Whakaae atu ana a Te Tahi.
Te Tahi agreed.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.Ka haere atu ia.
She moved away (she left).Kia tīkina atu he whakataukī e hāngai ana kī tēnei kaupapa...
Let me grab a proverb...Mauria atu te ika nei!
Take this fish away!Ka tae atu rāua ki Ōtautahi.
They arrived there in Christchurch.Kei te haere atu ngā tamariki ki korā.
The children are going away over there.Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.Haria atu tēnei ki a Pāpā.
Take this to Daddy.Pātai atu ki a Matua Kūkara.
Ask Uncle Google.Whakapangia atu ki muri rawa o te pouaka.
Stick it to the far side of the box.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?Kua tae atu koe ki Te Rerenga Wairua?
Have you been to Cape Reinga.Ka pangaa atu to pāoro e Manu ki a Rangi.
Manu passes the ball to Rangi.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 te kī ki raro i te takapau.
Hide the key under the mat.Hei āpōpō au tae atu ai.
I will come tomorrow.Oma atu i a ia!
Run away from her!Kōrero atu ki a Honi.
Speak to Honi.Ka tangi atu te manu ki ana hoa.
The bird calls to his friends.I te ono karaka, kua tae atu rātou ki Ōmihi.
By six o'clock they had got to Ōmihi.Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!Hei āpōpō haere atu ai au ki te tāone.
Tomorrow I am going to town.Ka heare tonu atu nei ahau.
I'll go right now.Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.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.Te rongonga atu o Amaru i te kōrero a tana tuahine...
When Amaru heard what his sister said...Pātai atu ki te pirihimana.
Ask the police officer.E oma atu ā tāua tamariki hōhā.
Our exasperating children are running away.Pātai atu ki te kaihoko mō te utu.
Ask the salesperson for the price.I nahea koe i wehe atu ai ki Te Waipounamu?
When did you leave for the South Island?Kei kō atu te ngahere i te awa.
The bush is beyond the river.I whai atu a ia i te ahi kāpara.
He followed [her] by means of the burning torch.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.Tīkina atu he miraka, he paraoa hoki.
Get some milk and some bread too.Whakarongo atu!
Listen (out for something)!Kua tae atu te tokorua nei ki te wharekai.
The pair have arrived at the restaurant.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.