Don't get the children used to eating sweet things. in Tetun
La bele hatoman labarik sira han buat midar.
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
- Ha'u gosta hemu xá midar maibé tenke hamenus masin midar hodi la bele moras.I like drinking sweet tea but have to reduce the sugar so I don’t get sick.
- Hatuun ha'u nia sasán hosi kareta laran lai.Get my things down out of the vehicle.
- Ema Xina gosta han na'an fahi midar-siin.Chinese people like eating sweet and sour pork.
- Ne'e ami nia problema partikulár, ó la bele tama.This is our private problem, don’t get involved.
- Keta ko'us labarik sai ba li'ur, se lae anin tama.Don't carry the child outside, or she'll get sick.
- Sees hosi ha'u nia uma! Ha'u la gosta haree ó nia oin.Get away from my house! I don’t like to see your face.