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.
Whakarongo atu!
Listen (out for something)!Haria atu tēnei ki a Pāpā.
Take this to Daddy.Kua tae atu koe ki Te Rerenga Wairua?
Have you been to Cape Reinga.Hoki atu ki te rūma rā!
Return to that room!Āta hīkoi atu kei kuhu ō waewae ki te paru.
Walk carefully so you don't step in the mud.Pātai atu ki te pirihimana.
Ask the police officer.Oma atu i a ia!
Run away from her!Kua tae atu rātou ki Rotorua.
They have arrived in Rotorua.Whakapangia atu ki muri rawa o te pouaka.
Stick it to the far side of the box.Kua tae atu te tokorua nei ki te wharekai.
The pair have arrived at the restaurant.Whakaae atu ana a Te Tahi.
Te Tahi agreed.Kōrero atu ki a Ataahua.
Speak to Ataahua.I whai atu a ia i te ahi kāpara.
He followed [her] by means of the burning torch.Kuhu atu te kī ki raro i te takapau.
Hide the key under the mat.Tīkina atu he miraka, he paraoa hoki.
Get some milk and some bread too.Pātai atu ki a Matua Kūkara.
Ask Uncle Google.Hei āpōpō au tae atu ai.
I will come tomorrow.Te rongonga atu o Nikau i te kōrero a tana tuahine...
When Nikau heard what his sister said...Katia atu te kuaha.
Shut the door to keep the outside noise out!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 Niko ki a Hēmi.
Niko passes the ball to Hēmi.Ka haere atu ia.
She moved away (she left).Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.Kei kō atu te ngahere i te awa.
The bush is beyond the river.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 whakamau atu au i te kope mā.
I'll put a fresh nappy on.I te ono karaka, kua tae atu rātou ki Ōmihi.
By six o'clock they had got to Ōmihi.E tama, mauria atu he tūru māna.
Hey boy, take a chair for her.Inahea koe i haere atu ai ki te tāone?
When did you go to town?Ka mutu te hui, ka haere atu ngā manuhiri ki te whare kai.
When the meeting ended, the visitors went to the eating house.Mauria atu te pukapuka rā!
Bring me that book!Kuhu atu ki roto i tō moenga.
Get in your bed.Pātai atu ki te kaihoko mō te utu.
Ask the salesperson for the price.Tokomaha i haere atu ki tōna tangihanga.
Many went to her funeral.Kia tīkina atu he whakataukī e hāngai ana kī tēnei kaupapa...
Let me grab a proverb...I nahea koe i wehe atu ai ki Kāpiti?
When did you leave for Kāpiti?Hoki atu ki tērā kokonga.
Go back to that corner over there.Hei āpōpō haere atu ai au ki te tāone.
Tomorrow I am going to town.Tae atu a Ponga ki tana taha.
Ponga reached her side.Tīkina atu tō pāpā!
Go and get your father!Mihi atu ki ōu kaumātua.
Greet your elders.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.E oma atu ā tāua tamariki hōhā.
Our exasperating children are running away.Mauria atu te ika nei!
Take this fish away!E tāria atu nei a tuahangata.
The man of the moment is being waited for.Kei te haere atu ngā tamariki ki korā.
The children are going away over there.Pātai atu ki te kaihoko mō te utu.
Ask the salesperson for the price.