Police are seeking to prevent crime, not just arrest those who have committed crimes. in Tetun

Polísia buka atu prevene kriminalidade, la'ós de'it atu kaer ema ne'ebé mak halo ona krime.

English → Tetun phrasebook

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'.

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.

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