With such poor kicking, how will you ever kick a goal?! in Tetun

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'.

• Possibility & probability

  bele / parese / dala ruma / kala — possibility

  bele

  Tetun 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.

Related phrases

• Sira sei halo kordenasaun ho sira nia xefe depois mak fó desizaun.They will coordinate with their boss, then they will make a decision.
• Ita sei liu iha imigrasaun hodi revista ita nia sasán hotu mak foin ita bele sai ba li'ur.We will go through immigration where they will inspect our goods before we can go outside.
• Staf ne'ebé publika sai dadus konfidensiál, hanesan kontratu projetu tenderizasaun ka kontratu servisu, sei hetan sansaun.Staff who publish confidential data, such as tender documents or work contracts, will receive sanctions.
• Toos na'in barak prefere liu uza adubu orgániku hanesan karau teen duké uza adubu anorgániku hanesan NPK.Many farmers prefer using organic fertilisers such as cow manure to using inorganic fertilisers such as NPK.
• Tribunál sei notifika sasin Bendito atu mai marka prezensa iha julgamentu judisiál ne'ebé sei hala'o iha loron 6 Marsu.The court will notify the witness Bendito that he has to be present at the trial which will take place on the 6th of March.
• Aban ha'u sei mai fali.Tomorrow I will come back.