I’m drying the clothes before going to work. in Tetun
Ha'u sei hamaran hela ropa antes ha'u bá servisu.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Aspect markers
hela — 'currently' or 'reside'
helaAfter a verb, 'hela' marks continuous aspect ('is ...-ing'). As a standalone verb it means 'live, reside'. Often paired with 'sei' for 'is still ...-ing'.
Aspect markers
sei — 'will' or 'still'
seiTetun has no verb conjugation. Aspect and tense are marked by particles. 'sei' sits immediately before the verb — marking a definite future ('will') or a continuative ('still'). Combine with 'hela' after the verb for ongoing action. Negation is 'sei la' = 'will 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
- Dadeer-dadeer antes mai servisu ha'u sempre estrika ha'u nia ropa.Every morning before coming to work I iron my clothes.
- Molok atu bá eskola, aruma tiha kama lai.Before going to school, tidy up (your) bed.
- Kolu lai labarik nia ropa mak fó hariis.Take off the child’s clothes before giving him a bath.
- Sandra uza mina morin rega ba nia faru atu bá festa.Sandra sprays perfume on her blouse before going to a party.
- Uza eskova nehan ida ne'e hodi kose nehan didi'ak molok toba.Use this toothbrush to brush your teeth well before going to sleep.
- Ita servisu iha rai li'ur, bele manán osan boot maibé servisu todan.If we work overseas, we can earn a lot of money, but the work is hard.