We must respect our parents so that we may live long lives on earth. in Tetun
Ita tenke hamta'uk ita nia inan-aman atu nune'e ita nia vida bele naruk iha mundu ne'e.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
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.
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 tenke respeita ita nia inan-aman.We must respect our parents.
- Ami nia inan rasik mate kleur ona, nune'e ami nia inan hakiak mak tau matan ba ami.Our own mother died a long time ago, so it is our adoptive mother who looks after us.
- Ita tenke hadomi ita nia funu-balun.We must love our enemies.
- Ita tenke haboot ita nia fiar.We must increase our faith.
- Hóstia ne'e konsagradu tiha ona, tenke respeita!The host has been consecrated, you must respect it!
- Iha ami nia aldeia ami uza jeradór bainhira presiza karega telefone.In our village, we use a generator to charge our phones.