You can’t smoke here! in Tetun
La bele fuma sigaru iha ne'e!
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
- Iha Tasi Tolu nenee, ema la bele hariis, tanba tasi ne'e lulik.Here in Tasi Tolu, people can’t bathe, as it taboo.
- Nasaun seluk la bele lori sira nia lei mai aplika iha Timor.Other nations can't take their laws here and apply them in Timor.
- Mina rai bele sai bénsaun ba nasaun, maibé bele mós sai malisan.Petroleum can be a blessing to a nation, but can also become a curse.
- Lori iskeiru ne'e mai para ha'u sunu ai hodi nono bee.Bring the cigarette lighter here so I can light the fire to boil water.
- Ami rasik la bele ajuda ita, maibé ami bele husu ajuda ba ema seluk.We ourselves can’t help you, but we can ask for help from someone else.
- Kios na'in la iha. Nia mai mak ita bá hola xampó.The kiosk owner is not here. When she/he returns we can go and buy shampoo.