My older brother is seriously ill in hospital. in Tetun
Ha'u nia maun moras todan, baixa hela iha hospitál.
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'.
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.
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
- Tiu moras grave loos, tenke baixa iha ospitál sala Icu nian.Uncle is seriously ill, and had to be hospitalized in the intensive care unit of the hospital.
- Bonoiti, maun.Good evening/night, older brother.
- Maun Atoi hosi Aileu.'Older brother' Atoi is from Aileu.
- Candida: Obrigada, maun. Lito: Nada.Candida: Thanks, 'older brother'. Lito: You're welcome.
- Maun mak treina ha'u lori motór.It was my older brother who taught me to ride a motorbike.
- Ospitál nasionál mak Ospitál Guido Valadares iha Dili.The national hospital is the Guido Valadares Hospital in Dili.