When I'm talking to you, you must face me, not turn your back! in Tetun
Ha'u kuandu ko'alia ba ó, tenke sé oin mai, la bele sé kotuk!
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Negation
la — 'not' (general negation)
laPlaced 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.
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'.
Prohibition & permission
keta / lalika / la bele — prohibition
la beleThree strengths of 'don't': 'lalika(n)' is softest — 'no need to, don't bother'. 'keta' is a direct prohibitive command. 'la bele' = 'not allowed, must not'.
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
- Feto ne'e oin aat loos. Nia presiza make-up para halo oin di'ak oituan.This woman has a very ugly face. She needs makeup to beautify her face a bit.
- Imi tenke hakribi ona imi nia sala hodi fila ba Maromak, atu Nia bele hamoos imi nia sala hotu.You must repent of your sins and turn to God, so that He will forgive all our sin.
- Ita tenke husik ita nia sala ne'ebé mak uluk ita halo tiha ona, atu nune'e ita bele simu moris foun.We must turn from the sins which we have committed, so that we can receive new life.
- Ita rezolve problema, di'ak liu ko'alia oin ho oin, la bele iha kotukotuk.When resolving problems, it's better to talk face to face, not behind people's backs.
- Ó bá fali uma!Go back home!
- Ita tenke estuda Tetun.We must study Tetun.