Looking for practical Afar to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afar 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: pick five Tetum phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Afar 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.
Nagaad
Olá(nagaad)
Galatooma
Obrigadu(galatooma)
Bariis
Bondia(bariis)
Galab
Bona tarde(galab)
Haal
Bona noite(haal)
Haalka habeen
Bona noite(haalka habeen)
Ilaa mar kale
Ami hanesan(ilaa mar kale)
Nagaad
Adeus(nagaad)
Maa magacaa?
Quale naran ida?(maa magacaa)
Magacaygu waa John
Naran hau John.(magacaygu waa John)
Iska waran?
Kona ba o?(iska waran)
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay
Diak ba halo ho o.(aad baan ku faraxsanahay)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Inni ingiriisi maahaa?
Keta fala Inglês?(Inni ingiriisi maahaa?)
Hindi maahaa hinjiru
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(Hindi maahaa hinjiru)
Ani hinfahmi
Hau la hatene.(Ani hinfahmi)
Fadlan si maahaa siib
Favor fala ba moris.(Fadlan si maahaa siib)
Maahaa inna marra?
Keta bele fala fali?(Maahaa inna marra?)
Maalin baadhu?
Onde mak banheira?(Maalin baadhu?)
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(Akkam an magaalatti gahu?)
Boodha kaaf
Virar ba hadau.(Boodha kaaf)
Boodha mirga
Virar ba direita.(Boodha mirga)
Si qodhi
Baa diretamente.(Si qodhi)
Maalin abaal?
Iha ne'e barak?(Maalin abaal?)
Tiket tokkon, fadlan
Ticket ida, favor.(Tiket tokkon, fadlan)
Maalin faga?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(Maalin faga?)
Ani dhumtu
Hau nune'e.(Ani dhumtu)
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eeyy
Sim(ee-yee)
Maya
La(mah-yah)
Gara
Talvez(gah-rah)
Anigu waaq
Hau hakarak(ah-nee-goo wahk)
Anigu ma waaq
Hau la hakarak(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
Tani waa'ee
Nia mak diak(tah-nee wah-ee)
Ilaa ma waaq?
Ita nian ideia sa?(ee-lah mah wahk)
Ilaa naxar?
Mak bele ajuda hau?(ee-lah nah-khar)
Naxar aniga
Hau precisa ajuda(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
Soo'aa
Hakarak momentu(soo-ah)
Waa'ee aniga
Hau mós(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
Maya dhib
La problema(mah-yah dheeb)
Hambalyo
Parabens(ham-bahl-yo)
Bariis gadhay
Parabens ba aniversario(bah-rees gah-thai)
Safar amni
Hau haruka viagen diak(sah-far am-nee)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eeyyoo taayka daab?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Eeyyoo gaari daab?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Keenya kaafaa?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Waqti maayti?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Maayta kaan?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Ittaa hara
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Ittaa faar
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Maafaa naafaa?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Hara dhaaf, fadlan
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Waqti mee?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyayka mi'aa?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Iyayka xayl
Esa mak baratu demais.(iyayka xayl)
Ma'ayka hara gabbir?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(ma'ayka hara gabbir)
Karta ka'ayka?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(karta ka'ayka)
Mi'ayka mi'ida laba
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(mi'ayka mi'ida laba)
Xisaab, fadlan
Fatu, por favor.(xisaab, fadlan)
Adeegku ma ku jira?
Servisu iha ka?(adeegku ma ku jira)
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed
Hau vegetarian.(anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed)
Cunto kulul ma jirto, fadlan
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(cunto kulul ma jirto)
Tani waa macaan
Esa mak saboru.(tani waa macaan)
Mi'ayka liiska?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(mi'ayka liiska)
Dharbaaxda biyo, fadlan
Kopa agua, por favor.(dharbaaxda biyo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Waaqa booliisi
Liga ba polícia(Call the police)
Waaqa ambulaansii
Liga ba ambulansia(Call an ambulance)
Dooktar naaf barbaachisa
Hau precisa doutor
Naanu dhukkuba qaba
Hau sente sick
Qoricha fooniif dhukkuba qaba
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Hospitaala dhihoo eessa?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Asitti dhukkuba qaba
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Paaspoortii koo dhabe
Hau hasai passport
Hoteela koo waaqa?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Gargaarsa!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nagaad waayi
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(na-gaad waa-yi)
Nagaad kaabirna waayi
Kita halo reunião(na-gaad kaa-bir-na waa-yi)
Waqti mee waayi?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(waq-ti mee waa-yi)
Warqad kaan diraya harra
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(war-qad kaan di-ra-ya har-ra)
Maanta waayi hadalnaa?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(maan-ta waa-yi ha-dal-naa)
Faylka ku lifaaqan fadlan
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(fayl-ka ku li-faa-qan fad-lan)
Mahadsanid waqtigaaga
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(ma-had-sa-nid waq-ti-ga-a-ga)
Waxaan rajeynayaa inaan la shaqeeyo
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(wax-aan ra-jeen-yaa-in aan la sha-qee-yo)
Ma cadayn kartaa dhibicdaas?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(ma ca-dayn kar-taa dhi-bi-cda-as)