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