If you buy ice cream, eat it all up straightaway, otherwise it will melt. in Tetun
Karik sosa eskrim han hotu kedas, se lae nabeen.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Conditionals
se / karik — conditionals
sekarik'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.
Time expressions
Temporal connectors
kedasCommon time words: 'bainhira / kuandu' = when; 'molok / antes' = before; 'depois' and 'liu tiha' = after; 'kedas' = immediately; 'foin' = only just, very recently; 'kleur' = a long time.
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
- Ohin ha'u hakarak han eskrim mais osan la iha atu sosa.Today I wanted to eat ice-cream but I didn’t have money to buy some.
- Finadu ami sei oho bibi ida halo modo hodi han hamutuk.On All Souls’ Day we will kill a goat to cook up and eat together.
- La bele tunu fehuk kleur liu iha ahi, se la bele motuk hotu.Don’t roast the potatoes on the fire for too long, otherwise they will all be burnt.
- Segunda ita tama eskola sedu para ita hotu dada bandeira.On Monday, we will all go to school early for flag-raising.
- Ha'u iha osan sein dolar atu bá sosa ropa festa nian ba ita hotu.I have a hundred dollars to buy party clothes for all of us.
- La bele hirus beibeik; se lae, ferik lailais.Don’t get angry all the time; otherwise you’ll grow old quickly.