I have to force the children to study, otherwise they’d never hold a book. in Tetun
Ha'u tenke obriga labarik sira atu estuda, se lae sira nunka kaer livru.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Conditionals
se / karik — conditionals
se'se' opens a definite conditional ('if X, then Y'). 'karik' sits at the end of a clause and hedges it ('perhaps'); it can also mark an uncertain conditional.
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
- Sira hotu han to'o bosu. Han tiha, sira mós fahe malu.They all ate until they were satisfied. Having eaten, they went their separate ways.
- Sira ne'e oportunista de'it. Uluk rai susar, sira halai sai ba rai li'ur, maibé agora sira mai fali buka pozisaun iha governu.They are just opportunists. In the past when it was hard, they fled overseas, but now they have come back seeking positions in the government.
- Sira sempre xave odamatan waiñira sira sai husi uma.They always lock the door when they leave the house.
- Sira nia joga fo'er, lae karik imi mak manán tiha ona sira.They cheated, otherwise you could have defeated them.
- Sira hotu riku. Maski nune'e, sira lakoi ajuda ami.They are all rich. Nevertheless, they refused to help us.
- Ami estuda la di'ak tanba labarik sira estrundu loos.We can’t study effectively because the children are so noisy.