Beauty & Grooming

1. Hau hakarak tesi hau nia fuuk.

   I'd like a haircut.

   Usage

   Requesting a haircut at a salon

   Grammar Note

   "Hau hakarak ..." = I want to ... "tesi fuuk" = cut hair. Possession is "hau nia + noun"; after the noun it needs "nian" ("fuuk hau nian"). Bare "fuuk hau" is not a possessive.

2. Tesi uitoan de'it — la bele tesi barak liu.

   Just a trim, please — don't cut too much.

   Usage

   Requesting only a small trim

   Grammar Note

   "de'it" = only/just. "liu" = excessively/too much

3. Hau hakarak kór hau nia fuuk ho [kór].

   I'd like to dye my hair [color].

   Usage

   Requesting hair coloring

   Grammar Note

   "kór" = color (from Portuguese "cor"). Replace with desired color

4. Hau bele haree livru modelo fuuk?

   Can I look at a hairstyle book?

   Usage

   Requesting to see a hairstyle catalog

   Grammar Note

   "livru" = book (from Portuguese "livro"). "modelo" = model/style

5. Hau hakarak fase no hamaran hau nia fuuk.

   I'd like a shampoo and blow-dry.

   Usage

   Requesting shampoo and blow-dry service

   Grammar Note

   "To wash" is "fase" (also spelt "fasi") — a native Tetun word, not a Portuguese loan. "To dry (something)" is "hamaran" (causative of "maran" = dry); "seka" is not used.

6. Imi bele halo nail art?

   Do you offer nail art?

   Usage

   Asking if nail art services are available

   Grammar Note

   "Imi bele halo ...?" = Can you (pl.) do ...?

7. Folin hira mak ne'e?

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   Asking the price of a beauty service

   Grammar Note

   "Folin hira mak ne'e?" = How much does this cost?

8. Tempu hira mak presiza?

   How long will it take?

   Usage

   Asking how long a service will take

   Grammar Note

   "tempu" = time (from Portuguese "tempo"). "hira mak" = how much

9. Hau hakarak tratamentu facial.

   I'd like a facial / skin treatment.

   Usage

   Requesting facial treatment

   Grammar Note

   Portuguese loanword "tratamentu" = treatment

10. Hau nia fuuk mak onduladu / loos / mihis / mahar.

    My hair is curly / straight / fine / thick.

    Usage

    Describing your hair type to a stylist

    Grammar Note

    "loos" (straight) and "mahar" (thick). "bebesik" does not mean thick — "besik" means near.

11. Hau kontenti ho rezultadu. Obrigadu.

    I'm very happy with the result — thank you.

    Usage

    Expressing satisfaction after the service

    Grammar Note

    "kontenti" is more common than haksolok in Dili; "Obrigadu" is for a male speaker (a female speaker says Obrigada).

12. Bele halo forma hau nia matan fulun?

    Can you shape / thread my eyebrows?

    Usage

    Requesting eyebrow shaping

    Grammar Note

    "Eyebrow" is "matan fulun" (matan = eye, fulun = hair). The Portuguese "sobrancelha" is not used.

13. Hau presiza marka enkontru uluk ka lae?

    Do I need to make an appointment?

    Usage

    Asking if an advance appointment is required

    Grammar Note

    "marka enkontru" = mark a meeting = appointment. "uluk" = before

14. Bele tesi hau nia hasan rahun mos?

    Can you also trim my beard?

    Usage

    Requesting beard trimming in addition to haircut

    Grammar Note

    "mos" = also/too. It is written unaccented "mos" (also spelt "mós"); "moos" is a different word meaning "clean". "Beard/moustache" is "hasan rahun"; "beibeik" is an adverb meaning "often, continually" and never means beard.

15. Hau hakarak kumu ulun.

    I'd like a scalp massage.

    Usage

    Requesting a scalp massage at the salon

    Grammar Note

    "Massage" is "kumu isin" / "buti isin" (isin = body); here the object is the head, so "isin" is replaced by "ulun". "masajen" is not used.

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