Only East Timorese citizen can stand as candidates for President of the Republic. in Tetun

Grammar in this phrase

• Focus

  mak — focus marker

  mak

  'mak' focuses the preceding constituent — used when English would bold or cleft ('it was X who...'). Also forms the superlative with 'liu'.

• Possibility & probability

  bele / parese / dala ruma / kala — possibility

  bele

  Tetun hedges less than English, but has a cluster of markers. 'bele' before the verb = can / may. 'parese' at the start = 'seems'. 'dala ruma' at the start of a clause = 'perhaps, sometimes'. 'kala / kal' before a number = 'approximately'.

More patterns like these in the Tetun grammar guide.

Related phrases

• Iha eleisaun 2015, kandidatu barak konkore ba Prezidente da Repúblika.In the 2015 elections, many candidates competed to become president of the Republic.
• La bele han ai-fuan ne'e lai, tanba sei tara hela horok. Aban liurai sei hasai horok mak bele han.You can't eat the fruit yet, because it is still under the horok taboo. You can only eat the fruit once the king removes the horok.
• Timor oan minoria de'it ,mak musulmanu.Only a minority of Timorese people are Muslims.
• Hotu-hotu hamriik halo kabuar atu bele haree malu.All stand in a circle so you can see each other.
• Iha ami nia servisu fatin, só Sesta de'it mak bele uza kalsa jíns.In our work place we can only wear jeans on Fridays.
• Hosi rai ikun to'o rai ulun ita mesak Timor oan de'it.From the far west to the far east, we are all Timorese.