Just give me a little time to talk to my son before you take me to prison. in Tetun
Fó netik tempu ruma oituan mai ha'u atu ko'alia lai ho ha'u nia oan molok imi lori ha'u ba komarka.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Aspect markers
lai — 'first' / polite request
laiAfter the verb or object, 'lai' means 'first, for a moment' — often softens a request by implying the action won't last long.
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.
Time expressions
Temporal connectors
molokCommon 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
- Lori hahán restu ne'e bá fó asu.Take the leftovers and give them to the dog.
- Mestre hanorin full-time ka part-time?Does the teacher teach full-time or part-time?
- Isaias servisu nu'udar guarda prizioneiru iha prizaun Becora.Isaias works as a prison guard in Becora prison.
- Uza surat tahan hodi falun prezente molok atu fó.Use paper to wrap the present before you give it.
- Nia loron-kalan halimar de'it.He just plays around all the time (he doesn't work).
- Kolu lai labarik nia ropa mak fó hariis.Take off the child’s clothes before giving him a bath.