How do you say "How could this old metal become a good sharp machete?" in Tetun?

"How could this old metal become a good sharp machete?" in Tetun is "Halo oinsá mak besi aat ne'e sai fali katana ne'ebé di'ak no kro'at?".

Tetun Translator

How could this old metal become a good sharp machete? in Tetun

Halo oinsá mak besi aat ne'e sai fali katana ne'ebé di'ak no kro'at?

English → Tetun phrasebook

Aspect markers
fali — 'again' / 'back' / 'instead'
fali
Placed after the verb. Can mean 'again / back' or mark an unexpected reversal ('instead'). Context decides which.
Focus
mak — focus marker
mak
'mak' focuses the preceding constituent — used when English would bold or cleft ('it was X who...'). Also forms the superlative with 'liu'.

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.