Looking for practical Bambara to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara 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 Bambara 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.
I ni ce
Olá
I ni sogoma
Obrigadu
I ni bɔ
Bondia
I ni kɛ
Bona tarde
I ni sɔgɔ
Bona noite
I ni tulu
Bona noite
N bɛ se ka
Ami hanesan
A bɛ se ka
Adeus
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Quale naran ida?
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Naran hau John.
I ni fɛ?
Kona ba o?
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni ce English?
Keta fala Inglês?(ee nee che English)
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
N mɔgɔ bɛ
Hau la hatene.(N mo-go beh)
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ
Favor fala ba moris.(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
I ka fɔ a la?
Keta bele fala fali?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Bamanakan kɛn na?
Onde mak banheira?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ
Virar ba hadau.(Keh-lehn boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ
Virar ba direita.(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Fɔ kɛlɛn
Baa diretamente.(Fo keh-lehn)
Fɛ kɛ?
Iha ne'e barak?(Feh keh)
Kɛnɛ ticket, please
Ticket ida, favor.(Ken-eh ticket, please)
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
N tɛ bɔ
Hau nune'e.(N teh boh)
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Sim
Ala
La
Bara
Talvez
N bɛ bɔ
Hau hakarak
N bɛ fɔ
Hau la hakarak
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Nia mak diak
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Ita nian ideia sa?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Hau precisa ajuda
Sira kɛ
Hakarak momentu
N tɛgɛ
Hau mós
Ala ka fɔ
La problema
I ni kɛ
Parabens
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Parabens ba aniversario
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
I ni tîgê kô?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Kô tîgê bô?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
I ni tîgê bô?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
I tîgê kâ.
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
I tîgê kâ fô.
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
I bô kô tîgê fô?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kô tîgê kô?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ni ce?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Esa mak baratu demais.
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Fatu, por favor.
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Servisu iha ka?
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Hau vegetarian.
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
I ye sɔgɔ.
Esa mak saboru.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ
Liga ba polícia(nogo folo)
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ
Liga ba ambulansia(nogo koro)
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Hau precisa doutor(n be soro)
N bɛ tɛgɛn
Hau sente sick(n be tegen)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ
Hau iha alergia ba karu(n be folokele)
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(n be koro folo)
I tɛgɛ fɛ
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(i tege fe)
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
Hau hasai passport(n be kele folo)
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(i be nogo koro folo)
Tɛgɛ!
Help!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ
Kita halo reunião(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
I ni bɔ a la?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(I ni bɔ a la?)
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ
Hau sei volta ba ita(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday
Prazo mak sexta-feira(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.