These days Dili is overly modern, and people desire to have all sorts of things. in Tetun
Ohin loron Dili modernu liu, no ema nia matan kaan buat hotu-hotu.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Comparison
liu — comparison 'more / most'
liuTetun 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.
Translate your own text with the free English ↔ Tetun translator or look up individual words in the Tetun dictionary.
Related phrases
- Uluk iha kampaña ó ko'alia fun-funan loos, maibé agora la realiza.During the campaign you promised all sorts of things, but these haven't happened.
- Sira konvida ema boboot mai iha festa ne'e.They invited all sorts of important people to this party (e.g. from the government, army, and NGOs).
- 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.
- Finadu ema barak bá vizita rate.On All Souls’ Day many people go and visit graves.
- Ha'u hato'o ha'u nia saudasoens ba povu Timor-leste tomak.I extend my greetings to all the people of Timor-Leste.
- Ema Atauro bahat ai sai estátua ema ne'ebé furak loos.Atauro people carve wood into beautiful statues of people.