You're really fortunate, as you've only just finished your studies and have already got a job. in Tetun
Ó sorte di'ak, tanba foin remata ó nia estudu, hetan ona servisu.
English → Tetun phrasebook
Grammar in this phrase
Aspect markers
ona — 'already' (perfective)
onaPlaced after the verb (or after the object), 'ona' marks that something has already happened. Cannot stand alone — must belong to a sentence. See also 'tiha ona' for a stronger completed aspect.
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.
Time expressions
Temporal connectors
foinCommon time words: 'bainhira / kuandu' = when; 'molok / antes' = before; 'depois' and 'liu tiha' = after; 'kedas' = immediately; 'foin' = only just, very recently; 'kleur' = a long time.
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
- Ha'u ladún konfia katuas ne'e, haree nia oin de'it mós ita hatene ona.I don’t really trust that man. Just looking at his face we already know (he’s not trustworthy).
- Ha'u foin aprende kaer kareta.I've only just learned to drive.
- Ha'u foin komesa aprende Tetun.I have only just started learning Tetun.
- Vaga ne'e apár tebes ho esperiénsia servisu ne'ebé ha'u iha.The job vacancy really suits my work experience.
- Kuitadu! Besi sira foin hola ne'e mesak meak de'it.Oh dear! The metal we've only just bought is all rusty.
- Loro aas ona. Nusaa mak labarik ne'e la hadeer de'it?The sun's already high in the sky. Why hasn't this kid got up yet?