You need to have a spare tyre, so that if you get a flat tyre on the road, you can change it. in Tetun

Grammar in this phrase

• Conditionals

  se / karik — conditionals

  karik

  'se' opens a definite conditional ('if X, then Y'). 'karik' sits at the end of a clause and hedges it ('perhaps'); it can also mark an uncertain conditional.

• 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

• Agora ita bele lori kareta halai maka'as tanba rai tetuk.We can drive fast because the road is flat now.
• Tiu Pedro uza makaku kalsu kareta para atu hasai roda ne'ebé kuak.Uncle Pedro uses a jack to raise the car so that he can remove the flat tyre.
• To'o iha loja Elimloi nia oin, iha dalan sanak ida, ita tama bele haree hetan ona ami nia uma.When you get to the front of Elimloi shop, there is a turnoff, when you go down that road you can see our house.
• Ha'u espera katak tinan oin ami bele kaben.I hope that next year we can get married.
• Oinsá mak ita bele hetan osan atu selu eskola?How can we get money to pay for schooling?
• Ha'u presiza osan rahun para selu bemo.I need small change to pay for the minibus.