This teacher is greedy. Only if we give money does he give us good marks. in Tetun
Mestre ne'e matan osan; ita fó osan mak nia fó valór di'ak.
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'.
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
- Kolega ne'e oin osan; ita sosa buat ruma fó ba nia mak nia di'ak ho ita.This friend is happy only if given money or presents. Only if we buy something for her does she get on with us.
- Estuda maka'as, para bele hetan valór di'ak.Study hard, so you will get good marks.
- Ha'u sei komprende lalais karik ita fó ezemplu ne'ebé di'ak.I will understand quickly if you give good examples.
- Maria sateia hela de'it nia amá tanba osan.Maria keeps hassling her mother (to give her) money.
- Estela hetan notas di'ak iha ezame tanba nia estuda maka'as.Estela got good marks in the exam because she studied hard.
- Ha'u nia oan mane boot ne'e matenek, nia sempre hetan valór boot iha eskola.My oldest son is smart. He always gets good marks at school.