I will report your bad behaviour to dad so that you don’t do it again. in Tetun

Grammar in this phrase

• Aspect markers

  sei — 'will' or 'still'

  sei

  Tetun 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'.

• Possession

  nia / nian — possession

  nia

  'nia' goes BEFORE the thing possessed; 'nian' goes AFTER. Both function the same way; position decides which form. 'nia' is also the 3rd-person pronoun (he / she / it) — disambiguate by position.

• Prohibition & permission

  keta / lalika / la bele — prohibition

  lalika

  Three 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.

Related phrases

• Ninia atitude iha eskola la di'ak.His behaviour in school is bad.
• Ó hakarak saida de'it, apá fó.Whatever you want, Dad will give.
• Mane ne'e nia hahalok aat loos.This man has a very bad behaviour.
• Ó nia hahalok aat ne'e hamoe família de'it.Your bad behaviour has shamed the family.
• Apá dehan, “La bele book ha'u tanba ha'u estuda hela.”Dad said, “Don’t bother me, as I’m studying.”
• La bele fakar susu been iha ne'e, se lae sei konvida nehek mai.Don’t pour the milk here, or it will invite ants in.