Looking for practical Baoule to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Baoule 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 Baoule 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.
Akwaba
Olá
Medase
Obrigadu
Mema wo akye
Bondia
Mema wo aha
Bona tarde
Mema wo dɔnhwere
Bona noite
Mema wo anadwo
Bona noite
Yɛbɛhyia bio
Ami hanesan
Nante yie
Adeus
Wo din de sɛn?
Quale naran ida?
Me din de John
Naran hau John.
Ɛyɛ sɛn?
Kona ba o?
Ɛyɛ me dɛ sɛ mehyia wo
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
N'ka bô English?
Keta fala Inglês?
M'ni bô Hindi kô.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
M'ni kâ.
Hau la hatene.
Bê n'ka bô n'zi.
Favor fala ba moris.
N'ka bô n'zi kô?
Keta bele fala fali?
Bô n'zi n'kô?
Onde mak banheira?
M'ka bô n'zi kô n'kô?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Bê n'kô n'kô.
Virar ba hadau.
Bê n'kô bô.
Virar ba direita.
Bê n'kô n'zi.
Baa diretamente.
N'ka bô n'zi bô?
Iha ne'e barak?
N'ka bô n'zi n'kô.
Ticket ida, favor.
N'ka bô kô n'kô?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
M'ni kô.
Hau nune'e.
Bô n'zi n'kô SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Awi
Sim
Ala
La
Kouman
Talvez
M'ani
Hau hakarak
M'ani ala
Hau la hakarak
N'kpa a yé
Nia mak diak
N'kpa a yé kô?
Ita nian ideia sa?
N'kpa a t'ô?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
M'ani t'ô
Hau precisa ajuda
Kô a n'kô
Hakarak momentu
M'ani n'kô
Hau mós
Ala n'kô
La problema
N'kpa a yé kô
Parabens
N'kpa a yé bô
Parabens ba aniversario
N'kpa a yé n'kô a bô
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
N'kaha n'kro?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
N'kaha n'kro a bus?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
N'kaha n'kro a platform?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
N'kaha n'kro a l'he?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
N'kaha n'kro a yé?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
N'kaha n'kro a gban?
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
N'kaha n'kro a fô?
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
N'kaha n'kro a m'kô?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
M'kaha n'kro a gban, s'il vous plaît
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
N'kaha n'kro a yé?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
N'kpa n'kpa?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
O n'kpa kpa kpa.
Esa mak baratu demais.
N'zo n'kpa n'kpa?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
N'zo kpa n'kpa n'kpa?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
M'bi n'kpa n'kpa n'kpa.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
N'kpa n'kpa.
Fatu, por favor.
N'zo n'kpa n'kpa?
Servisu iha ka?
M'bi n'kpa n'kpa.
Hau vegetarian.
N'zo n'kpa n'kpa.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
O n'kpa n'kpa.
Esa mak saboru.
N'zo n'kpa n'kpa?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
N'kpa n'kpa n'kpa.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kɔlɔ bɔlɔ
Liga ba polícia(kɔlɔ bɔlɔ)
Kɔlɔ ambilansi
Liga ba ambulansia(kɔlɔ ambilansi)
Mɛ sɔ dɔktɛ
Hau precisa doutor(mɛ sɔ dɔktɛ)
Mɛ fɛ siki
Hau sente sick(mɛ fɛ siki)
Mɛ bɔ sɔkɔɔ n'ɛkɔ
Hau iha alergia ba karu(mɛ bɔ sɔkɔɔ n'ɛkɔ)
Bɔkɔ n'ɛ fɔlɔ bɔlɔ?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(bɔkɔ n'ɛ fɔlɔ bɔlɔ)
E sɔ mɛn
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(e sɔ mɛn)
Mɛ fɔ pɔtɔ
Hau hasai passport(mɛ fɔ pɔtɔ)
Wɔ bɛ kɔlɔ mɛ hɔtɛl?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(wɔ bɛ kɔlɔ mɛ hɔtɛl)
Bɔlɔ!
Help!(bɔlɔ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
N'zo n'kpa
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(N'zo n'kpa)
N'kpa n'kɔ a n'kɔ
Kita halo reunião(N'kpa n'kɔ a n'kɔ)
N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo?)
M'ɛ n'kpa bɔ n'kɔ
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(M'ɛ n'kpa bɔ n'kɔ)
N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo a n'kɔ?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo a n'kɔ?)
N'kpa n'kɔ n'kɔ n'zo
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(N'kpa n'kɔ n'kɔ n'zo)
M'ɛ n'kpa bɔ n'zo
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(M'ɛ n'kpa bɔ n'zo)
M'ɛ n'kpa bɔ n'zo n'kɔ
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(M'ɛ n'kpa bɔ n'zo n'kɔ)
N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo?)
N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo
Hau sei volta ba ita(N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo)
N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo
Prazo mak sexta-feira(N'kpa n'kɔ bɔ n'zo)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.