To ensure continuity for the work of this institution, it would be better to choose a permanent director, not choose one for only two years. in Tetun

Grammar in this phrase

• Comparison

  liu — comparison 'more / most'

  liu

  Tetun 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'.

• Negation

  la — 'not' (general negation)

  la

  Placed 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.

• Possession

  nia / nian — possession

  nian

  '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.

Related phrases

• Ita nia diretór foin rezigna an atu sai fali ministru. Nune'e ita presiza foti fali ema seluk sai diretór definitivu, la bele foti reitór interinu de'it.Our director has just resigned to become a government minister. So we must appoint someone else as permanent director, not just as an acting director.
• Ha'u uluk servisu kontratu de'it, maibé agora hetan servisu permanente iha governu.I used to work only on contract, but now have a permanent job in the government.
• Visi diretór la iha kompeténsia atu hasai ema hosi servisu; só diretór de'it mak bele.The deputy director does not have the authority to sack people; only the director can do this.
• Ema atus rua servisu iha ne'e.Two hundred people work here.
• Nia hela iha ne'ebá loron ida-rua de'it.He stayed there only a day or two.
• Diretór koloka ha'u bá servisu iha munisípiu Maliana.The director posted me to work in Maliana district.