Tetun Grammar & Spelling Rules

will (future) / still (continuative) · Position: BEFORE the verb

already (perfective) / now (imminent) · Also used for 'now' in commands: Baa ona! (Go now!) · Position: AFTER the verb or object

already (completed/perfect) · tiha = action completed; ona = state reached · Position: AFTER the verb

currently (continuous/progressive) · Position: AFTER the verb

again / back / instead (unexpected) · 'instead' meaning is for unexpected situations · Position: AFTER the verb

first (before something else) · Polite — implies activity won't last long · Position: AFTER the verb or object

not yet · Different from 'la' (not) — seidauk implies it will happen later · Position: BEFORE the verb

progressive (in the process of) · Stronger/more formal than hela for ongoing action · Position: AFTER the verb

immediately / in advance · kedan = in advance (Selu kedan = Pay in advance) · Position: AFTER the verb

continue / still (ongoing) · Similar to hela but emphasizes continuation · Position: AFTER the verb

Exception: 'Xefe de Suku' is an established title. Personal names like 'Tino de Freitas' keep 'de'.

Tetun prefers concrete subjects + verbs over abstract nouns. Not regex-testable.

Everyday Tetun prefers active voice with explicit subjects, but formal press/government Tetun does use newer passive-like constructions. Treat this as a register-sensitive style issue, not a universal ban.

liu goes AFTER the adjective

Superlative: liu hotu after adjective

Common web/UI phrases left in English. Translate to Tetun.

‘tiha’ marks completion and follows the verb. Source: PC Tetun ch.44.

‘keta’ is a preverbal prohibitive. Source: PC Tetun ch.26.

‘keta’ already forbids; ‘keta la’ / ‘keta seidauk’ is redundant.

not (verbs and adjectives) · Position: BEFORE the verb/adjective

not (contrastive — 'it's NOT X, it's Y') · Also written 'laos'. Used for identity/contrastive negation, NOT for verbs.

not yet · Position: BEFORE the verb

no longer · la before verb, ona after verb

don't (prohibitive) · Used for commands/prohibitions · Position: BEFORE the verb

don't bother / no need · Position: BEFORE the verb

Tetun has no Portuguese “qu” spelling. Before e/i it becomes “k” (quilómetro → kilómetru); before a/o the “u” is kept as “ku” (esquadra → eskuadra). Only flagged when the corrected form is a known Tetun word.

Before a, o or u, Portuguese hard “c” is written “k” in Tetun (banco → banku). Only flagged when the corrected form is a known Tetun word; proper nouns are skipped.

The Portuguese “ct” cluster reduces to “t” in Tetun (director → diretór). Only flagged when the corrected form is a known Tetun word.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “no, not”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “friend”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “work”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “money”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “woman”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “man”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “child”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “small”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “big”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “today”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “yesterday”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “thank you (-o → -u)”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “worker”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “school”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “city”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “night”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to do / make”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to eat”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to drink”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to speak”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to want”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to sleep”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to buy”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to sell”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to say”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Untranslated Portuguese word for “to know”. Use the Tetun equivalent. Source: Peace Corps Tetun Language Course (3rd ed.) contrastive vocabulary. False-positive tested against 31,500 known-good sentences.

Only flag if the word looks like a Portuguese loan

DIT uses 'nh'. In INL orthography, 'ñ' is the standard letter. Use --ortho inl to flip this rule.

INL uses ñ (a single letter in the INL alphabet). DIT uses nh digraph. This rule fires only under --ortho inl.

Not universal — 'parte' keeps -e. Check glossary.

Portuguese -dade is kept as-is in Tetun

Portuguese -mente adverbs are borrowed directly

x = /ʃ/ as in Portuguese, not English 'x'

Portuguese -al words get accent on á in Tetun

INL uses ll as a digraph in its alphabet; DIT uses lh. Exception: common Portuguese loans like mergulhu, trabalhu are kept with lh in both standards. Fires only under --ortho inl; severity is info because the exception set is incomplete.

to, for, at (direction/purpose)

in, at, on (location) / there is

from

with (accompaniment, instrument)

in order to / using · Contrast with 'atu': hodi usually marks means/purpose, while atu more often marks intention, futurity, or complements.