Editing Tetum language (section)

==== Nouns and pronouns ====

===== Plural =====

The plural is not normally marked on nouns, but the word {{Lang|tet|sira}} 'they' can express it when necessary.

:{{Lang|tet|feto}} 'woman/women' → {{Lang|tet|feto sira}} 'women'

However, the plural ending ''-s'' of nouns of Portuguese origin is sometimes retained.

:{{Lang|tet|Estadus Unidus}} – United States (from {{Lang|ms|Estados Unidos}})
:{{Lang|tet|Nasoens Unidas}} – United Nations (from {{Lang|ms|Nações Unidas}})

===== Definiteness =====

Tetum has an optional indefinite [[Article (grammar)|article]] {{Lang|tet|ida}} ('one'), used after nouns:

:{{Lang|tet|labarik ida}} – a child

There is no definite article, but the [[demonstrative]]s {{Lang|tet|ida-ne'e}} ('this one') and {{Lang|tet|ida-ne'ebá}} ('that one') may be used to express definiteness:

:{{Lang|tet|labarik ida-ne'e}} – this child, the child
:{{Lang|tet|labarik ida-ne'ebá}} – that child, the child

In the plural, {{Lang|tet|sira-ne'e}} ('these') or {{Lang|tet|sira-ne'ebá}} ('those') are used:

:{{Lang|tet|labarik sira-ne'e}} – these children, the children
:{{Lang|tet|labarik sira-ne'ebá}} – those children, the children

===== Possessive/genitive =====

The particle {{Lang|tet|nia}} forms the inalienable possessive, and can be used in a similar way to '''s'' in English, e.g.:

:{{Lang|tet|João nia uma}} – 'João's house'
:{{Lang|tet|Cristina nia livru}} – 'Cristina's book'

When the possessor is postposed, representing alienable possession, {{Lang|tet|nia}} becomes {{Lang|tet|nian}}:

:{{Lang|tet|povu Timór Lorosa'e nian}} – the people of East Timor

===== Inclusive and exclusive ''we'' =====

Like other Austronesian languages, Tetum has two forms of ''we'', {{Lang|tet|ami}} (equivalent to Malay {{Lang|ms|kami}}) which is exclusive, e.g. "I and they", and {{Lang|tet|ita}} (equivalent to Malay {{Lang|ms|kita}}), which is [[Clusivity|inclusive]], e.g. "you, I, and they".

:{{Lang|tet|ami-nia karreta}} – 'our [family's] car'
:{{Lang|tet|ita-nia rain}} – 'our country'

===== Nominalization =====

Nouns derived from verbs or adjectives are usually formed with [[affix]]es, for example the [[suffix]] ''-na'in'', similar to "-er" in English.

:{{Lang|tet|hakerek}}  'write' → {{Lang|tet|hakerek-na'in}} 'writer'

The suffix ''-na'in'' can also be used with nouns, in the sense of 'owner'.

:{{Lang|tet|uma}}  'house' → {{Lang|tet|uma-na'in}} 'householder'
In more traditional forms of Tetum,  the [[circumfix]] ''ma(k)- -k'' is used instead of ''-na'in''. For example, the nouns 'sinner' or 'wrongdoer' can be derived from the word {{Lang|tet|sala}} as either {{Lang|tet|maksalak}}, or {{Lang|tet|sala-na'in}}. Only the [[prefix]] ''ma(k)-'' is used when the root word ends with a consonant; for example, the noun 'cook' or 'chef' can be derived from the word {{Lang|tet|te'in}} as {{Lang|tet|makte'in}} as well as {{Lang|tet|te'in-na'in}}.

The suffix ''-teen'' (from the word for 'dirt' or 'excrement') can be used with adjectives to form derogatory terms:

:{{Lang|tet|bosok}} 'false' → {{Lang|tet|bosok-teen}} 'liar'