Looking for practical Bemba to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba 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 Bemba 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.
Shani
Olá
Natotela
Obrigadu
Muli shani
Bondia
Muli shani
Bona tarde
Muli shani
Bona noite
Shalenipo bwino
Bona noite
Tukakutana
Ami hanesan
Twalumba
Adeus
Iwe ulishani?
Quale naran ida?
Ndefwaya John
Naran hau John.
Uli bwanji?
Kona ba o?
Nashitasha kukumona
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Keta fala Inglês?
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Hau la hatene.
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Favor fala ba moris.
Ningaloleleko?
Keta bele fala fali?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Onde mak banheira?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Fumya kumwendo
Virar ba hadau.
Fumya kumwendo
Virar ba direita.
Enda pamo
Baa diretamente.
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Iha ne'e barak?
Ticket imwe, nomba
Ticket ida, favor.
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ndi lost
Hau nune'e.
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Sim
Awe
La
Panga
Talvez
Ndi bwino
Hau hakarak
Ndi bwino na
Hau la hakarak
Ilyo lishibukile
Nia mak diak
Uchite shani?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Ushakufwa?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Hau precisa ajuda
Leka ifi
Hakarak momentu
Nshakufwa
Hau mós
Takwaba shani
La problema
Nshakufwa bwino
Parabens
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Parabens ba aniversario
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Ninshi ikalamba?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Ili pamo na pano.
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Ili lishilu na pano.
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Ushibukishe pa mape?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Leka pano, chonde.
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kuli shani?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ili shani?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Ili lya kuli
Esa mak baratu demais.(Ili lya kuli)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(Muli na chimo chibulu?)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(Ningakupanga na kadi?)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)
Icilanga, tapali
Fatu, por favor.(Icilanga, tapali)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Servisu iha ka?(Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)
Ndi mvegetarian
Hau vegetarian.(Ndi mvegetarian)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)
Ili lya bwino
Esa mak saboru.(Ili lya bwino)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(Ningakonda ifyalo?)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
Kopa agua, por favor.(Icupa ca mvula, tapali)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Liga ba polícia
Tuma ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Nshikala na doctor
Hau precisa doutor
Nshikala bwino
Hau sente sick
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Kuli ububi pano
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Nashitile passport yangu
Hau hasai passport
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Chikondi!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(na-sha-mu-ke-ni)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Kita halo reunião(tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)