The canoe was about to sink - it nearly sank but didn't. in Tetun
Bero atu mout sal-sala - atu mout la mout.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Negation
la — 'not' (general negation)
laPlaced before verbs and adjectives to negate them. For contrastive 'not X but Y' use 'laós'; for 'not yet' use 'seidauk'; for 'no longer' wrap 'la ... ona' around the verb.
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
- Kuandu ema hala'o edukasaun sívika, sira hanorin povu kona ba lia polítiku nian, no mós kona ba direitu no responsabilidade reinu nian, atu foti povu nia konsiénsia polítiku.When people conduct civic education, they teach the people about political affairs, and also about the rights and responsibilities of the people, to raise their political awareness.
- Ha'u la bá ida!I didn't go!
- Nia la hariis.He/she didn't bathe.
- Nia husu kona ba eskola.He asked about school.
- Ha'u la hetan doit metan ida!I didn't get any money at all!
- Pora! Nusaa mak ohin nia la mai?!Good grief! Why didn't he come!