The Timorese people's emotional links with Fretilin are Fretilin's major asset. in Tetun

Grammar in this phrase

• Comparison

  liu — comparison 'more / most'

  liu

  Tetun comparison uses 'X liu Y' not 'mais X' — the adjective stays put and 'liu' follows. With a focus 'mak' it becomes superlative. Avoid Portuguese-style 'melhor' or 'mais boot'.

• 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

• 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.
• Timor oan minoria de'it ,mak musulmanu.Only a minority of Timorese people are Muslims.
• Uluk ema oho mate Timor oan barak iha funu laran.Many Timorese people were killed during the war.
• Ema Atauro bahat ai sai estátua ema ne'ebé furak loos.Atauro people carve wood into beautiful statues of people.
• Durante okupasaun Indonezia, Timor oan barak mate.Many Timorese people died during the Indonesian occupation.
• Ema tama mate nabanaban, to'o uma laran ema nakonu.People just kept coming in, until the house was full of people.