Remote Work

1. Iha fatin servisu hamutuk besik?

   Is there a coworking space nearby?

   Usage

   Looking for a nearby coworking space

   Grammar Note

   "fatin" = place. "hamutuk" = together. "servisu" = work

2. Kódigu Wi-Fi saida?

   What is the WiFi password?

   Usage

   Asking for the WiFi password

   Grammar Note

   Kódigu ("code") is the closest word to "password" and forms compounds such as kódigu konduta ("code of conduct"). Palavra-passe is untranslated Portuguese, not Tetun. The question word saida follows the noun.

3. Wi-Fi ne'e lais natoon ba telefone ho vídeo ka lae?

   Is the WiFi fast enough for video calls?

   Usage

   Checking if WiFi speed is sufficient for video calls

   Grammar Note

   Lais is "fast" and natoon is "enough". Videochamada is untranslated Portuguese, so telefone ("to phone") is combined with vídeo. Yes/no questions take ka lae at the end.

4. Iha área kalma ka kabine privadu?

   Do you have a quiet area or private booth?

   Usage

   Asking about quiet areas or private work booths

   Grammar Note

   Área ("area"), kalma ("calm, unruffled"), privadu (as in setór privadu "private sector"). Kabine, as in kabine votasaun ("voting booth"), denotes a partitioned cubicle. Adjectives follow the noun.

5. Hau bele servisu iha ne'e loron tomak?

   Can I work here all day?

   Usage

   Asking if you can work here all day

   Grammar Note

   "loron" = day. "tomak" = whole/complete = all day

6. Hau presiza imprimi ka skan dokumentu.

   I need to print / scan a document.

   Usage

   Requesting printing or scanning services

   Grammar Note

   Imprimi is "print"; imprime is an inflected Portuguese form. "Scan" is skan, a bare English loan like cek in, laptop and online. Eksaminar is a Portuguese infinitive and in any case means "to examine".

7. Iha tomada besik kadeira ne'e?

   Is there a power outlet near this seat?

   Usage

   Checking for a power outlet near your seat

   Grammar Note

   Kadeira is "chair, seat"; banku means "bank / bench" and does not fit here. "Power outlet" is the Portuguese tomada used in Timor, kept as is; the adjective eletrika is not used because no Tetun form can be confirmed ("electricity" is eletrisidade / ahi).

8. Hau iha reuniaun online iha [tuku].

   I have an online meeting at [time].

   Usage

   Informing about an online meeting at a specific time

   Grammar Note

   Meeting is reuniaun (or enkontru). Reunião keeps the Portuguese spelling; Tetun writes final -ão as -aun. Tuku means "o'clock".

9. Folin loron ida nian ka folin fulan ida nian hira?

   What is the price for a day pass / monthly membership?

   Usage

   Asking about day pass or monthly membership prices

   Grammar Note

   The daily rate is folin loron ida nian and the monthly rate is folin fulan ida nian. Asinatura means "signature", not a membership fee, and assinatura is in any case the Portuguese spelling. Prices are asked with "X hira?".

10. Iha armáriu ka fatin rai sasaan?

    Is there a locker or storage I can use?

    Usage

    Asking about available lockers or storage

    Grammar Note

    Rai means "put, place, store" and sasaan means "goods, things". Ahi means "fire" (and by extension electricity), not "things", so fatin rai ahi would read as "a place to put fire". Armáriu and almari both mean "cupboard, wardrobe".

11. Internét ne'e neineik demais — iha ligasaun lais liu?

    The internet is too slow — is there a faster connection?

    Usage

    Requesting a faster internet connection

    Grammar Note

    "Slow" is neineik. Laran means "inside, interior", not "slow"; los means "correct, straight", not "fast" — the word for fast is lais. Demais means "too (excessive)", as in boot demais ("too big"). Comparatives are formed with adjective + liu.

12. Hau hakarak sosa kartaun SIM ho dadus ba servisu.

    I'd like to buy a SIM card with data for work.

    Usage

    Buying a data SIM card for work purposes

    Grammar Note

    "Card" is kartaun (kartaun kréditu, kartaun rejistu); cartão is the Portuguese spelling. "Data" is dadus (dados is the Portuguese plural). Sosa means "to buy".

13. Iha kabine telefone ka sala hakmatek atu telefone?

    Is there a phone booth or quiet call room?

    Usage

    Asking about a quiet phone or call booth

    Grammar Note

    Telefone is both the noun "telephone" and the verb "to phone", as in Hau telefone ba nia horiseik ("I phoned him yesterday"). Chamadas is a Portuguese plural, not Tetun. Sala is "room, hall" and hakmatek is "quiet, peaceful". Atu + verb expresses purpose.

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