Don’t commit domestic violence, for instance beating your wife or children. in Tetun
La bele halo violénsia doméstika, por ezemplu baku ita nia feen ka oan.
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.
Possession
nia / nian — possession
nia'nia' goes BEFORE the thing possessed; 'nian' goes AFTER. Both function the same way; position decides which form. 'nia' is also the 3rd-person pronoun (he / she / it) — disambiguate by position.
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'.
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
- La bele hatoman labarik sira han buat midar.Don't get the children used to eating sweet things.
- Hanesan aman ha'u tenke proteje ha'u nia kaben ho ha'u nia oan.As a father I have to protect my wife and children.
- Mana ne'e oan na'in. Keta book!This lady already has children. Don't try to court her!
- La bele hanaruk tan sira nia kontratu, tanba sira servisu la di'ak!Don't extend their contract, because they don't work well!
- Maromak lia tuun ba nia oan sira dehan, “Keta ta'uk tan ha'u la'o ho imi.”God said to his children, “Don’t be afraid, as I am with you.”
- Deolindo tama komarka to'o tinan lima tanba violénsia doméstika.Deolindo is in jail for about five years for domestic violence.