Directions

1. Dalan ba sentru sidade nian iha ne'ebé?

   Da-lan ba sen-tru si-da-de ni-an i-ha ne-e-be?

   Where is the road to the city centre?

   Usage

   Used to ask for directions to the city centre

   Grammar Note

   ba is a directional preposition placed before the destination. Tetun respells Portuguese c as s, so "city" is "sidade" (cidade is the Portuguese spelling)

2. La'o tuun ba kraik.

   La-o tu-un ba kraik.

   Go straight down.

   Usage

   Used to direct someone downhill or downward

   Grammar Note

   la'o + directional word is the basic pattern for giving movement instructions

3. Fila liman karuk.

   Fi-la li-man ka-ruk.

   Turn left.

   Usage

   Used to instruct someone to turn left

   Grammar Note

   liman karuk literally means "left hand" and is the idiomatic way to indicate leftward direction

4. Fila liman loos.

   Fi-la li-man lo-os.

   Turn right.

   Usage

   Used to instruct someone to turn right

   Grammar Note

   liman loos literally means "right hand" and indicates rightward direction

5. Dook hira?

   Do-ok hi-ra?

   How far is it?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the distance to a destination

   Grammar Note

   hira asks quantity or degree; "how far" is the adjective "dook" (far) plus "hira". "ba fali" means "go back" and cannot form a distance question

6. La'o direitu ba oin.

   La-o di-rei-tu ba oin.

   Go straight ahead.

   Usage

   Used to direct someone to go straight

   Grammar Note

   ba oin means "forward" or "ahead"; oin means "front"

7. Iha kilómetru hira?

   I-ha ki-lo-me-tru hi-ra?

   How many kilometres is it?

   Usage

   Used to ask distance in kilometres

   Grammar Note

   Iha + unit + hira forms a quantity question meaning "how many X are there". "Kilometre" is "kilómetru"; the Portuguese spelling "quilómetro" is not used.

8. Hau lakon ona. Bele ajuda hau?

   Hau la-kon o-na. Be-le a-ju-da hau?

   I am lost. Can you help me?

   Usage

   Used when lost and asking for help

   Grammar Note

   ona is a completive aspect marker placed after the verb, indicating a completed state

9. Parke nian besik ka dook?

   Par-ke ni-an be-sik ka do-ok?

   Is the park near or far?

   Usage

   Used to ask whether a place is near or far

   Grammar Note

   ka is a conjunction used in choice questions meaning "or"

10. Favór ida fó mapa mai hau.

    Fa-vor i-da fo ma-pa mai hau.

    Please give me a map.

    Usage

    Used to request a map

    Grammar Note

    mai is a directional verb complement indicating movement toward the speaker

11. Loos

    Right

    Usage

    Right; "loos" also means "correct", so point as you show it

12. Karuk

    Left

    Usage

    One word works even in a moving taxi

13. Ba oin

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    One word works even in a moving taxi

14. Fila fali

    Go back

    Usage

    Show it when the driver has gone the wrong way

15. Para!

    Stop

    Usage

    Show it where you want to get out

16. Norte

    North

    Usage

    Use with a map to give a direction

17. Súl

    South

    Usage

    Use with a map to give a direction

18. Leste

    East

    Usage

    Use with a map to give a direction

19. Oeste

    West

    Usage

    Use with a map to give a direction

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