Venâncio rode his bicycle very fast so that he could get home quickly. in Tetun
Venâncio halai bisikleta maka'as loos atu bele to'o uma lalais.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Intensifiers
Intensifiers (loos, tebes, demais, laduun)
loosPosition 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
beleTetun 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.
Related phrases
- Ita la'o korta dalan para to'o lalais iha uma.We’ll take a short-cut so we get home quickly.
- Mateus agora de'ut hela nia matan, tanba ai-luruk mak tama.Mateus is rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands, because a prickle has gotten into his eye.
- Tanba saa mak nia bele hirus lalais?Why does she get angry so fast?
- Nia saláriu hakerek klaru iha kontratu laran.His salary is clearly written in his contract.
- Kusta loos atu komprende nia hahalok.It’s very difficult to understand his attitude.
- Janio monu ho motor, nia ain tohar.Janio fell off his motorbike and broke his leg.