If corn has been contaminated with aflatoxin, it's better not to eat it. in Tetun

Grammar in this phrase

• Comparison

  liu — comparison 'more / most'

  liu

  Tetun comparison uses 'X liu Y' not 'mais X' — the adjective stays put and 'liu' follows. With a focus 'mak' it becomes superlative. Avoid Portuguese-style 'melhor' or 'mais boot'.

• 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.

• Prohibition & permission

  keta / lalika / la bele — prohibition

  keta

  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

• Imi kuda batar oin hira? - Ami kuda oin rua: batar lais ho batar boot.How many types of corn did you plant? - We planted two types: ‘quick’ corn and ‘big’ corn.
• Ferik balu dehan, se sukaer musan kona, entaun foti batar kose hadulas dala hitu. Depois tuku rahun tiha batar ne'e, se lae, hodi batar ne'e soe tiha ba fahi han.Some older women say, if you have swollen glands, then you should take a (cob of) corn and swirl it around the gland seven times. Then smash the corn, or else throw it to the pigs to eat.
• Atoi hakarak han batar.Atoi wants to eat corn.
• Dadeer-dadeer avoo lekar batar ba manu han.Every morning grandma scatters corn for the chickens to eat.
• Tia Lena kari hela batar iha li'ur para manu mai han.Auntie Lena is scattering corn outside for the chickens to eat.
• Halo lutu hale'u toos para animál la bele tama mai han batar.Build a fence around the garden so that animals can’t come in and eat the corn.