The two of them are aren't talking, you can't call them to sit together. in Tetun
Sira na'in rua konslet hela, la bele bolu mai tuur hamutuk.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Aspect markers
hela — 'currently' or 'reside'
helaAfter a verb, 'hela' marks continuous aspect ('is ...-ing'). As a standalone verb it means 'live, reside'. Often paired with 'sei' for 'is still ...-ing'.
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.
Possibility & probability
bele / parese / dala ruma / kala — possibility
beleTetun hedges less than English, but has a cluster of markers. 'bele' before the verb = can / may. 'parese' at the start = 'seems'. 'dala ruma' at the start of a clause = 'perhaps, sometimes'. 'kala / kal' before a number = 'approximately'.
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
- Família rua tenke tuur hamutuk ko'alia lia moris kona ba alin mane nia kazamentu.The two families must sit together to talk about our younger brother’ wedding.
- Haas huun boot ne'e nia fuan barak mangál ona, ita bele ku'u hodi han.This large mango tree has lots of nearly-ripe fruit. We can pick them and eat them.
- Sira servisu hamutuk hodi kaer metin prinsípiu moris ida katak, "Todan leba hamutuk, kmaan ita hi'it hamutuk."They worked together, holding firmly to the life principle that, "We carry heavy things together, we lift light things together."
- Ha'u espera katak ha'u bele hasoru fali sira iha kondisaun ne'ebé saudavel.I hope I can again meet them in good health.
- Sira na'in rua la bele kaben tanba iha relasaun familiár.The two of them cannot marry as they are related.
- Ha'u tuur rabat liu ba didin para bele sadere.I sit right next to the wall so I can lean against it.