Looking for practical Chamorro to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chamorro 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 Chamorro 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.
Håfa adai
Olá
Si Yu'os Ma'åse'
Obrigadu
Buenas Dias
Bondia
Buenas Tarde
Bona tarde
Buenas Noches
Bona noite
Buenas Noches
Bona noite
Hasta luego
Ami hanesan
Adios
Adeus
Håfa na'ån-mu?
Quale naran ida?
Guahu si John
Naran hau John.
Como estas?
Kona ba o?
Maliu hao
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Hu guaiya i Ingles?
Keta fala Inglês?(Hoo gwaiya ee Ingles?)
Ti hu guaiya i Hindi put klan
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(Ti hoo gwaiya ee Hindi put klan)
Ti hu maolek
Hau la hatene.(Ti hoo maolek)
Sigu, hu guaiya put maolek
Favor fala ba moris.(Sigu, hoo gwaiya put maolek)
Taimanu un maolek i esta?
Keta bele fala fali?(Taimanu un maolek ee esta?)
Onde i banyo?
Onde mak banheira?(Onde ee banyo?)
Kao siña un maolek para i sentro?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(Kao siña un maolek para ee sentro?)
Taimanu un fanhuyong
Virar ba hadau.(Taimanu un fanhuyong)
Taimanu un fanhuyong todu
Virar ba direita.(Taimanu un fanhuyong todu)
Fanhuyong put maolek
Baa diretamente.(Fanhuyong put maolek)
Håfa i presu?
Iha ne'e barak?(Hafa ee presu?)
Un tiket, si yu'us
Ticket ida, favor.(Un tiket, si yuus)
Kao ti i tano' put este?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(Kao ti ee tano' put este?)
Hu ma'pos
Hau nune'e.(Hoo mapos)
Onde siña un prupe i SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(Onde siña un prupe ee SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Åhe
Sim(ahe)
Ahe
La(ahe)
Sao
Talvez(sao)
Mungnga' yo'
Hau hakarak(mungna yo)
Ti mungnga' yo'
Hau la hakarak(ti mungna yo)
Sao na maolek
Nia mak diak(sao na maolek)
Håfa siña un chule'?
Ita nian ideia sa?(hafasina un chule)
Siña un ayuda yu'?
Mak bele ajuda hau?(sina un ayuda yu)
Guaiya yu' ayuda
Hau precisa ajuda(guaiya yu ayuda)
Tåya' un tiempo
Hakarak momentu(taya un tiempo)
Dispensa
Hau mós(dispensa)
Ti un problema
La problema(ti un problema)
Felicidades
Parabens(felicidades)
Feliz cumpleaños
Parabens ba aniversario(feliz cumpleaños)
Målek na biyahe
Hau haruka viagen diak(malek na biyahe)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kao asu i estasion tren?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Kao asu i parada bus?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Kao na platforma?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Kao tiempo na ma li'e?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Kao esta i hinoch?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Guaha na' anai
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Guaha na' malago
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Kao puede u fanhuyong yu' gi i mapa?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Tenda i manhuyong, por favor
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Håfa tiempo na ma chule'?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Håfa na'ån i prisu?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Malu' i prisu
Esa mak baratu demais.(Malu i priso)
Tåya' hao ni' otro na bagay na mas barato?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(Taya hao ni otro na bagay na mas barato?)
Hu na'ån na magi' gi card?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(Hu na'an na magi' gi card?)
Guståmi un tabla para dos
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(Gustami un tabla para dos)
I bill, por favor
Fatu, por favor.(I bill, por favor)
Inkludi i serbisyo?
Servisu iha ka?(Inkludi i serbisyo?)
Yu' u vegetarian
Hau vegetarian.(Yu' u vegetarian)
Ahe' i ma'gas na makan, por favor
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(Ahe i magas na makan, por favor)
Guaha i mas smak
Esa mak saboru.(Guaha i mas smak)
Hu na'ån i menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(Hu na'an i menu?)
Un baso na tåsi, por favor
Kopa agua, por favor.(Un baso na tasi, por favor)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tåyi i police
Liga ba polícia
Tåyi un ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Hu necesita un dokto
Hau precisa doutor
Hu fanhasso
Hau sente sick
Hu tiene alergia gi manåmko
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Kao donde i hospital mas nær
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Må'olek i na'ån
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Hu ma'pos i passport
Hau hasai passport
Kao tåyi i hotel-ku?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Tulong!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Måolek siha hao
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(maw-lek see-ha how)
Måta i tiempo para un mitin
Kita halo reunião
Kao hu na'ån tiempo para hao?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Hu sendi i report i hoy
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Kao siña ta'lo i mañana?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Sigu i file na in attach
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Si yu'os ma'åse para i tiempo
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Hu na'fanmacho' gi un tiningo'
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Kao siña un klari i punto?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Måta hu chule' para un
Hau sei volta ba ita
I deadline siha i Biernes
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.