Looking for practical Chuukese to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chuukese 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: when a Tetum phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Chuukese wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Chuukese 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.
Mwar a ngeni
Olá(mwar a ngeni)
Kinisou
Obrigadu(kinisou)
Mwar a pwe
Bondia(mwar a pwe)
Mwar a pwe fiti
Bona tarde(mwar a pwe fiti)
Mwar a pwe nien
Bona noite(mwar a pwe nien)
Mwar a pwe en
Bona noite(mwar a pwe en)
Chok ngeni
Ami hanesan(chok ngeni)
Soun
Adeus(soun)
Nukuchuk a ngeni?
Quale naran ida?(nukuchuk a ngeni)
A ngeni John
Naran hau John.(a ngeni John)
Nukuchuk a ngeni?
Kona ba o?(nukuchuk a ngeni)
Kinisou a ngeni
Diak ba halo ho o.(kinisou a ngeni)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Mwe pwe esei English?
Keta fala Inglês?
Ngeni pwe esei Hindi mehn.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Ngeni pwe fenen.
Hau la hatene.
Pwe esei mehn.
Favor fala ba moris.
Mwe pwe esei an?
Keta bele fala fali?
Where pwe an bathroom?
Onde mak banheira?
Mwe pwe fenen an city center?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Pwe fefen.
Virar ba hadau.
Pwe fefen.
Virar ba direita.
Pwe fenen.
Baa diretamente.
Ewe pwe an fare?
Iha ne'e barak?
Mwe pwe an ticket.
Ticket ida, favor.
Ewe pwe far from here?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ngeni pwe lost.
Hau nune'e.
Where pwe an buy SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
O
Sim
A
La
Mwe
Talvez
Ngeni an
Hau hakarak
Ngeni aen
Hau la hakarak
Ewe pwe
Nia mak diak
Mwe e pwe?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Mwe e pwe pwe?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ngeni pwe pwe
Hau precisa ajuda
Mwe pwe in
Hakarak momentu
Ngeni a pwe
Hau mós
A pwe a
La problema
Kinisou
Parabens
Fahk a pwe
Parabens ba aniversario
Pwe pwe ewe
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Where is the train station?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Where is the bus stop?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Mweir mehnuk?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Ewe mwak mehnuk?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Ewe mwak epe?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Ewe mwak epe?
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Ewe mwak epe?
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Ewe mwak epe?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Stop here, please
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Ewe mwak epe?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ehu an pwe ese?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Ewe pwe ese pwe ehu.
Esa mak baratu demais.(eh-weh pweh eh-seh pweh eh-hoo)
Ika pwe ehu an pwe ese?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(ee-kah pweh eh-hoo an pweh eh-seh)
Ika pwe pwe ese pwe kar?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(ee-kah pweh pweh eh-seh pweh kar)
Ika pwe pwe ese pwe table pwe rait.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(ee-kah pweh pweh eh-seh pweh tah-bleh pweh rait)