Fetch a tarpaulin here to cover the firewood so that the rainwater won't get into it. in Tetun
Foti lai lona mai satán netik ai-maran para udan been la bele kona.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Aspect markers
lai — 'first' / polite request
laiAfter the verb or object, 'lai' means 'first, for a moment' — often softens a request by implying the action won't last long.
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'.
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
- Taka lona ba sasán sira ne'e hotu para udan mai karik la bele bokon.Please cover these things with a tarpaulin so that if it rains they won’t get wet.
- Keta tama iha tasi ne'e, bee ne'e kle'an!Don't go into the sea here, the water is deep!
- Halo menus masin midar para la bele hetan moras raan midar.Reduce sugar (in your diet) so you won’t get diabetes.
- Ita nia ain kanek ne'e presiza bobar ligadura para fo'er la bele kona.Your injured leg needs to be bandaged so that dirt doesn’t get into it.
- Ema balu taka bebé nia baboton ho kamii para malirin la bele tama.Some people put candlenut on the baby's fontanel so that cold won't get in.
- Rama oan tama ó nia isin, sai araska, tenke koá sai.If an arrow goes into your body, it’s hard to get it out. It has to be cut out.