This knife is very sharp, and can be used to stab the pig. in Tetun

Tudik ne'e meik loos, bele uza hodi sona fahi.

English → Tetun phrasebook

Grammar in this phrase

  • Intensifiers

    Intensifiers (loos, tebes, demais, laduun)

    loos

    Position matters. 'loos' / 'tebes' / 'demais' follow the adjective ('barak loos' = very many). 'laduun' PRECEDES the adjective ('laduun diak' = not very good). 'liu tan' = even more.

  • Possibility & probability

    bele / parese / dala ruma / kala — possibility

    bele

    Tetun 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.

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