Plug in the rice cooker, and then we'll go. in Tetun

Grammar in this phrase

• Aspect markers

  lai — 'first' / polite request

  lai

  After the verb or object, 'lai' means 'first, for a moment' — often softens a request by implying the action won't last long.

• 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'.

More patterns like these in the Tetun grammar guide.

Related phrases

• Tia dulas hare uza mákina.Auntie mills rice in a (rice) mill.
• Maria bá hamoos hare ne'ebé iha kabubu laran.Maria went to weed the rice that in the rice bay.
• Laho tata kuak hotu foos karoon laran, foos fakar sai hotu.A rat has eaten holes in the rice sack, so now the rice has all spilled out.
• Ferik balu dehan, se sukaer musan kona, entaun foti batar kose hadulas dala hitu. Depois tuku rahun tiha batar ne'e, se lae, hodi batar ne'e soe tiha ba fahi han.Some older women say, if you have swollen glands, then you should take a (cob of) corn and swirl it around the gland seven times. Then smash the corn, or else throw it to the pigs to eat.
• Ita han, depois tuur halimar.We ate, then sat relaxing.
• Agora dadauk, foos folin karun.At present, rice is expensive.