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Common Tetum Phrases
Essential Tetum (Tetun) phrases with pronunciation guides.
👋Greetings & Basics
| English | Tetum | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Olá | o-LA |
| Good morning | Loron diak | LO-ron di-AK |
| Good afternoon | Loro manas diak | LO-ro MA-nas di-AK |
| Good evening | Kalan diak | KA-lan di-AK |
| Goodbye | Adeus | a-DE-us |
| See you later | To'o mane fali | to-o MA-ne FA-li |
| How are you? | Ita boot diak ka lae? | I-ta BOOT di-AK ka LAE |
| I am fine | Ha'u diak | ha-u di-AK |
| Thank you | Obrigadu | o-bri-GA-du |
| Please | Favor | fa-VOR |
| Sorry | Deskulpa | des-KUL-pa |
| Yes | Sin | sin |
| No | Lae | lae |
| My name is | Ha'u nia naran mak | ha-u ni-a NA-ran mak |
| Nice to meet you | Kontente hasoru ita | kon-TEN-te ha-SO-ru I-ta |
| Do you speak English? | Ita koalia Ingles? | I-ta ko-A-li-a ING-les |
| I don't understand | Ha'u la komprende | ha-u la kom-PREN-de |
| Welcome | Bemvindus | bem-VIN-dus |
| Good night | Kalan diak | KA-lan di-AK |
| Cheers | Saude | SA-u-de |
✈️Travel
| English | Tetum | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the hotel? | Hotelu iha ne'ebe? | ho-TE-lu I-ha ne-E-be |
| I need a taxi | Ha'u presiza taksi | ha-u pre-SI-za TAK-si |
| How much does it cost? | Kuantu mak nia folin? | KWA-ntu mak ni-a FO-lin |
| Airport | Aeroportu | a-e-ro-POR-tu |
| Train station | Estasaun trein | es-ta-SAUN TREIN |
| Bus stop | Paragem bus | pa-RA-gem BUS |
| Where is the bathroom? | Kareta bee iha ne'ebe? | ka-RE-ta BEE I-ha ne-E-be |
| I am lost | Ha'u lakon dalan | ha-u LA-kon DA-lan |
| Help me please | Ajuda ha'u favor | a-JU-da ha-u fa-VOR |
| Turn left | Sai karuk | sai KA-ruk |
| Turn right | Sai loos | sai LOOS |
| Straight ahead | Tuir dalan | TU-ir DA-lan |
| Near | Besik | BE-sik |
| Far | Dook | dook |
| Passport | Pasaporte | pa-sa-POR-te |
| Ticket | Bilhete | bil-YE-te |
| Hotel | Hotelu | ho-TE-lu |
| Hospital | Ospital | os-pi-TAL |
| Police | Polisia | po-LI-si-a |
| Map | Mapa | MA-pa |
🍽️Food & Dining
| English | Tetum | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I am hungry | Ha'u hamlaha | ha-u ham-LA-ha |
| I am thirsty | Ha'u hakmatek | ha-u hak-MA-tek |
| Water | Bee | bee |
| Food | Han | han |
| Bread | Pao | pao |
| Rice | Foos | foos |
| Meat | Naan | naan |
| Chicken | Manu | MA-nu |
| Fish | Ikan | I-kan |
| Vegetables | Modo | MO-do |
| Fruit | Fruta | FRU-ta |
| Coffee | Kafé | ka-FE |
| Tea | Xá | sha |
| Beer | Serbesa | ser-BE-sa |
| The bill please | Konta favor | KON-ta fa-VOR |
| Delicious | Gostoso | gos-TO-so |
| Restaurant | Restaurante | res-tau-RAN-te |
| Menu | Menu | ME-nu |
| Salt | Masin | MA-sin |
| Spicy | Manas | MA-nas |
🚨Emergency
| English | Tetum | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Ajuda! | a-JU-da |
| Call the police | Telefone polisia | te-le-FO-ne po-LI-si-a |
| I need a doctor | Ha'u presiza doutór | ha-u pre-SI-za dou-TOR |
| Fire! | Ahi! | A-hi |
| Thief! | Atan! | A-tan |
| I am sick | Ha'u moras | ha-u MO-ras |
| I am injured | Ha'u henek | ha-u HE-nek |
| Emergency | Urjénsia | ur-ZHE-nsi-a |
| Hospital | Ospital | os-pi-TAL |
| Ambulance | Ambulánsia | am-bu-LAN-si-a |
| I am lost | Ha'u lakon dalan | ha-u LA-kon DA-lan |
| Danger | Perigu | pe-RI-gu |
| Stop! | Para! | PA-ra |
| Go away! | Baa! | baa |
💼Business
| English | Tetum | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting | Enkontru | en-KON-tru |
| Office | Eskritóriu | es-kri-TO-ri-u |
| Manager | Xefi | SHE-fi |
| Contract | Kontratu | kon-TRA-tu |
| Payment | Pagamentu | pa-ga-MEN-tu |
| Invoice | Fatura | fa-TU-ra |
| Bank | Banku | BAN-ku |
| Price | Folin | FO-lin |
| Company | Kompañia | kom-pa-NYI-a |
| Korreiu eletróniku | kor-RE-yu e-le-TRO-ni-ku | |
| Phone | Telefone | te-le-FO-ne |
| Please call me | Favor telefone ha'u | fa-VOR te-le-FO-ne ha-u |
| Thank you for your time | Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu | o-bri-GA-du ba I-ta-ni-a TEM-pu |
| I agree | Ha'u konkorda | ha-u kon-KOR-da |
🔢Numbers & Time
| English | Tetum | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| One | Ida | I-da |
| Two | Rua | RU-a |
| Three | Tolu | TO-lu |
| Four | Haat | haat |
| Five | Lima | LI-ma |
| Six | Neen | neen |
| Seven | Hitu | HI-tu |
| Eight | Ualu | U-a-lu |
| Nine | Sia | si-A |
| Ten | Sanulu | sa-NU-lu |
| Twenty | Ruanulu | ru-a-NU-lu |
| Hundred | Rihun | RI-hun |
| Thousand | Rihun ida | RI-hun I-da |
| What time is it? | Oras nai hira ona? | O-ras nai HI-ra O-na |
| Today | Ohin loron | O-hin LO-ron |
| Tomorrow | Aban | A-ban |
| Yesterday | Horiseik | ho-ri-SEIK |
| Monday | Segunda | se-GUN-da |
| Friday | Sexta | SEKS-ta |
| Weekend | Fin-de-semana | fin-de-se-MA-na |
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