Looking for practical Acholi to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Tetum translation (Tetum) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Tetum.
Tip: when a Tetum phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Acholi wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Tetum translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Ayo
Olá(ah-yo)
Naki
Obrigadu(nah-kee)
Bok moti
Bondia(bok mo-tee)
Bok nongo
Bona tarde(bok non-go)
Bok obedo
Bona noite(bok oh-beh-do)
Bok ngat
Bona noite(bok ngat)
Tye kany
Ami hanesan(tye kan-yee)
Itye
Adeus(ee-tye)
Iti ma ineno?
Quale naran ida?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ineno John
Naran hau John.(ee-neh-no John)
Iti ma inyo?
Kona ba o?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Gat ma inyo
Diak ba halo ho o.(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
Keta fala Inglês?
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Nye neno.
Hau la hatene.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Favor fala ba moris.
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Keta bele fala fali?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Onde mak banheira?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Konyo kuc.
Virar ba hadau.
Konyo kuc.
Virar ba direita.
Tye kanyim.
Baa diretamente.
Iti kanyim ngat?
Iha ne'e barak?
One ticket, please.
Ticket ida, favor.
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Nye konyo.
Hau nune'e.
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Sim
Bila
La
Kweyo
Talvez
Ng'ato konyo
Hau hakarak
Ng'ato konyo ni
Hau la hakarak
Okwero kany
Nia mak diak
Ika kany?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Ikwok kany?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ng'ato konyo kany
Hau precisa ajuda
Tye kany
Hakarak momentu
Ng'ato konyo
Hau mós
Bila kany
La problema
Tye kany
Parabens
Aye konyo
Parabens ba aniversario
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Atye kany bura?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Kati onyo kwo?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Nye kwo nongo?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Kik kwo gwen?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Okwang kany ici
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Okwang kany piny
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Nye konyo i map?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Doko ici, pe?
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Nye kwo ngat?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Okwero keken
Esa mak baratu demais.(Okwero keken)
Itye keken me?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(Itye keken me?)
Nye konyo kadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nye tye kany kwo
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(Nye tye kany kwo)
Kaka, nyinga
Fatu, por favor.(Kaka, nyinga)
Kati kany me?
Servisu iha ka?(Kati kany me?)
Nye konyo wot
Hau vegetarian.(Nye konyo wot)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Iti kany
Esa mak saboru.(Iti kany)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Kopa agua, por favor.(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Liga ba polícia
Yat ma ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Nye konyo doctor
Hau precisa doutor
Nye konyo wot
Hau sente sick
Nye konyo kany kic
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Okwero ineno
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Nye tye konyo passport
Hau hasai passport
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Yat!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(Nye kany me)
Dano kany oting
Kita halo reunião(Dano kany oting)
Nye kany ma kany?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngatye kany report kany
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nye kany ma file kany
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(Nye kany ma file kany)
Atye kany ma kany
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(Atye kany ma kany)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Dano kany ma kany
Hau sei volta ba ita(Dano kany ma kany)
Kany kany Friday
Prazo mak sexta-feira(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.