According to law, revenue from oil cannot be used to pay aged (pensions). in Tetun
Tuir lei, reseita hosi mina rai la bele uza hodi selu idozu sira.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Negation
la — 'not' (general negation)
laPlaced before verbs and adjectives to negate them. For contrastive 'not X but Y' use 'laós'; for 'not yet' use 'seidauk'; for 'no longer' wrap 'la ... ona' around the verb.
Possibility & probability
bele / parese / dala ruma / kala — possibility
beleTetun hedges less than English, but has a cluster of markers. 'bele' before the verb = can / may. 'parese' at the start = 'seems'. 'dala ruma' at the start of a clause = 'perhaps, sometimes'. 'kala / kal' before a number = 'approximately'.
Prohibition & permission
keta / lalika / la bele — prohibition
la beleThree strengths of 'don't': 'lalika(n)' is softest — 'no need to, don't bother'. 'keta' is a direct prohibitive command. 'la bele' = 'not allowed, must not'.
More patterns like these in the Tetun grammar guide.
Translate your own text with the free English ↔ Tetun translator or look up individual words in the Tetun dictionary.
Related phrases
- Tuir ami nia lisan, ami la bele han na'an asu.According to our traditional law, we can't eat dog meat.
- Bainhira banin mate, mane foun sira kesi sintu metin!When a parent-in-law dies, the sons in law tighten their belts! (because it is so expensive)
- Tuir lei ne'ebé vigora iha Timor-Leste, ema sivíl la bele kaer kilat.According to the law which is in force in East Timor, civilians are not allowed to carry arms.
- Tuir lei serimoniál ema Judeu nian, bainhira na'i lulik boot tama iha fatin ne'ebé lulik liu, nia tenke sunu ai-been morin.According to Jewish ceremonial law, when the chief priest enters the most holy place, he must burn incense.
- Sira hotu mogok servisu tanba patraun selu sira la tuir tuir estandar ne'ebé governu fó sai.They are all on strike because the boss didn’t pay them according to the standards put out by the government.
- Tuir prokuradór direitus umanus, lei ne'e kontradís ho prinsípiu lei inan.According to the human rights and justice prosecutor, this law contradicts the principles of the constitution.