Looking for practical Chinese (Simplified) (中文) to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chinese (Simplified) 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: read the Tetum line out loud three times, then cover the Chinese (Simplified) side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Chinese (Simplified) (中文) 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.
你好
Olá(nǐ hǎo)
谢谢
Obrigadu(xièxiè)
早上好
Bondia(zǎoshang hǎo)
下午好
Bona tarde(xiàwǔ hǎo)
晚上好
Bona noite(wǎnshang hǎo)
晚安
Bona noite(wǎn'ān)
再见
Ami hanesan(zàijiàn)
再见
Adeus(zàijiàn)
你叫什么名字？
Quale naran ida?(nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?)
我叫约翰
Naran hau John.(wǒ jiào yuēhàn)
你好吗？
Kona ba o?(nǐ hǎo ma?)
很高兴认识你
Diak ba halo ho o.(hěn gāoxìng rènshì nǐ)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
你会说英语吗？
Keta fala Inglês?(nǐ huì shuō yīngyǔ ma?)
我说印地语说得不好。
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(wǒ shuō yìndìyǔ shuō dé bù hǎo.)
我不明白。
Hau la hatene.(wǒ bù míngbái.)
请慢点说。
Favor fala ba moris.(qǐng màn diǎn shuō.)
你能再说一遍吗？
Keta bele fala fali?(nǐ néng zài shuō yī biàn ma?)
洗手间在哪里？
Onde mak banheira?(xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ?)
我怎么去市中心？
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(wǒ zěnme qù shì zhōngxīn?)
左转。
Virar ba hadau.(zuǒ zhuǎn.)
右转。
Virar ba direita.(yòu zhuǎn.)
直走。
Baa diretamente.(zhí zǒu.)
票价是多少？
Iha ne'e barak?(piào jià shì duōshǎo?)
请给我一张票。
Ticket ida, favor.(qǐng gěi wǒ yī zhāng piào.)
离这里远吗？
Iha ne'e laran ka?(lí zhèlǐ yuǎn ma?)
我迷路了。
Hau nune'e.(wǒ mílù le.)
我在哪里可以买SIM卡？
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(wǒ zài nǎlǐ kěyǐ mǎi SIM kǎ?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
是的
Sim(shì de)
不是
La(bù shì)
也许
Talvez(yě xǔ)
我同意
Hau hakarak(wǒ tóng yì)
我不同意
Hau la hakarak(wǒ bù tóng yì)
听起来不错
Nia mak diak(tīng qǐ lái bù cuò)
你觉得怎么样？
Ita nian ideia sa?(nǐ jué de zěn me yàng)
你能帮我吗？
Mak bele ajuda hau?(nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma)
我需要帮助
Hau precisa ajuda(wǒ xū yào bāng zhù)
等一下
Hakarak momentu(děng yī xià)
对不起
Hau mós(duì bù qǐ)
没问题
La problema(méi wèn tí)
恭喜
Parabens(gōng xǐ)
生日快乐
Parabens ba aniversario(shēng rì kuài lè)
一路平安
Hau haruka viagen diak(yī lù píng ān)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
火车站在哪里？
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
公交车站在哪里？
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
哪个站台？
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
几点出发？
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
这是正确的路吗？
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
离这里很近
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
离这里很远
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
你能在地图上给我指一下吗？
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
请在这里停下
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
需要多长时间？
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
这个多少钱？
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
那个太贵了。
Esa mak baratu demais.(nàgè tài guìle.)
你们有便宜一点的吗？
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(nǐmen yǒu piányí yīdiǎn de ma?)
我可以用卡支付吗？
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(wǒ kěyǐ yòng kǎ zhīfù ma?)
我想要一张两人的桌子。
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(wǒ xiǎng yào yī zhāng liǎng rén de zhuōzi.)
请给我账单。
Fatu, por favor.(qǐng gěi wǒ zhàngdān.)
服务费包括在内吗？
Servisu iha ka?(fúwù fèi bāokuò zài nèi ma?)
我吃素。
Hau vegetarian.(wǒ chī sù.)
请不要辣的食物。
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(qǐng bùyào là de shíwù.)
这个很好吃。
Esa mak saboru.(zhège hěn hǎo chī.)
我可以要菜单吗？
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(wǒ kěyǐ yào càidān ma?)
请给我一杯水。
Kopa agua, por favor.(qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi shuǐ.)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
报警
Liga ba polícia(bào jǐng)
叫救护车
Liga ba ambulansia(jiào jiù hù chē)
我需要医生
Hau precisa doutor(wǒ xū yào yī shēng)
我觉得不舒服
Hau sente sick(wǒ jué de bù shū fu)
我对花生过敏
Hau iha alergia ba karu(wǒ duì huā shēng guò mǐn)
最近的医院在哪里？
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(zuì jìn de yī yuàn zài nǎ lǐ)
这里疼
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(zhè lǐ téng)
我丢了护照
Hau hasai passport(wǒ diū le hù zhào)
你能给我的酒店打电话吗？
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(nǐ néng gěi wǒ de jiǔ diàn dǎ diàn huà ma)
救命！
Help!(jiù mìng)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
很高兴见到你
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ)
让我们安排一个会议
Kita halo reunião(ràng wǒmen ānpái yīgè huìyì)
你什么时候有空？
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(nǐ shénme shíhòu yǒu kòng?)
我今天会发送报告
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(wǒ jīntiān huì fāsòng bàogào)
我们明天可以谈吗？
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(wǒmen míngtiān kěyǐ tán ma?)
请查收附件
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(qǐng cháshōu fùjiàn)
谢谢你的时间
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(xièxiè nǐ de shíjiān)
我期待与你合作
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(wǒ qīdài yǔ nǐ hézuò)
你能澄清一下那个点吗？
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(nǐ néng chéngqīng yīxià nàgè diǎn ma?)
我会再联系你
Hau sei volta ba ita(wǒ huì zài liánxì nǐ)
截止日期是星期五
Prazo mak sexta-feira(jiézhǐ rìqī shì xīngqī wǔ)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.