There used to be a missionary nun as head of the Paulo VI school. Now a diocesan priest has replaced her. in Tetun
Uluk madre misionária ida mak diretora eskola Paulo VI, agora padre diosezanu mak troka fali.
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'.
Aspect markers
fali — 'again' / 'back' / 'instead'
faliPlaced after the verb. Can mean 'again / back' or mark an unexpected reversal ('instead'). Context decides which.
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
- Uluk Paulo ha'u nia kolega di'ak, agora sai fali inimigu.Paulo used to be my good friend. Now he’s become my enemy.
- Nia namoradu ne'e hais nia to'o lima sén mós la iha nia isin!Her boyfriend bled her dry till she didn't even have five cents left on her!
- Alin feto ne'e uza koroa iha nia ulun ba simu primeira komuñaun.The little girl is wearing a crown on her head to receive her first communion.
- Semana liu ba udan boot. To'o agora bee nalihun iha uma oin, halo susuk barak tan de'it.Last week there was heavy rain. Even now there is water pooled in front of the house, leading to an increase in mosquitoes.
- Tia sikat ulsuku iha fuuk.Auntie stuck her hairpin through her hair.
- Agora rai tarutu, tanba udan mai dadaun.Now there is thunder, because rain is coming.