Only once their children were no longer small did the two of them get married in church. in Tetun

Grammar in this phrase

• Aspect markers

  ona — 'already' (perfective)

  ona

  Placed after the verb (or after the object), 'ona' marks that something has already happened. Cannot stand alone — must belong to a sentence. See also 'tiha ona' for a stronger completed aspect.

• 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'.

• 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.

Related phrases

• Sira na'in rua konslet hela, la bele bolu mai tuur hamutuk.The two of them are aren't talking, you can't call them to sit together.
• Fila modo mat-matak de'it, la bele halo dodok liu!Stir-fry the vegetables only til they are al dente, don't let them get too soft!
• Labarik lombriga iha nia kabun laran presiza hemu ai-moruk para nia sai tiha.Children who have intestinal worms need to take some medicine to get rid of them.
• Kolega ne'e oin osan; ita sosa buat ruma fó ba nia mak nia di'ak ho ita.This friend is happy only if given money or presents. Only if we buy something for her does she get on with us.
• Grupu karizmátiku sira mak ohin toma konta koru. Sira kanta moris liu halo ema iha igreja laran la dukur.The charismatic groups were responsible for the choir today. Their songs are very lively, so the people in church didn't get sleepy.
• Ami hasoru labarik na'in rua iha ne'ebá.We met two children there.