The official languages of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste are Tetun and Portuguese. in Tetun
Lian ofisiál Rdtl nian mak Tetun ho Portugés.
English → Tetun phrasebook
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'.
Possession
nia / nian — possession
nian'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.
Translate your own text with the free English ↔ Tetun translator or look up individual words in the Tetun dictionary.
Related phrases
- Lian Tetun konsagra tiha nu'udar lian ofisiál iha konstituisaun RDTL.Tetun has been designated as an official language in the constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.
- Repúblika Demokrátika dé Timor-leste nia lei inan tama iha vigór iha loron 20 fulan Maiu tinan 2002.The constitution of the Democratic Republic of East Timor came into force on 20th May 2002.
- Iha 2017, Sr Xanana Gusmão mak Timor-leste nia negosiadór prinsipál iha negosiasaun ho Austrália kona ba Tasi Timor.In 2017, Mr Xanana Gusmão was Timor-Leste's chief negotiator in the negotiations with Australia over the Timor Sea.
- Laureadu Nobel da Pás, Dr José Ramos Horta mak sai prezidente da repúblika primeiru iha Timor-Leste.It was the Noble Peace Laureate, Dr José Ramos Horta, who became the first president of the republic in Timor-Leste.
- Ha'u nia nasaun Timor-Leste.My country is Timor-Leste.
- Timor-leste seidauk uza enerjia solár.Timor-Leste doesn't yet use solar energy.