Looking for practical Dinka to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka 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 Dinka 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 Dinka 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.
Yaaŋ
Olá(yaaŋ)
Ajak
Obrigadu(ajak)
Bäny äyö
Bondia(bäny äyö)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Bona tarde(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bäny nyin
Bona noite(bäny nyin)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Bona noite(bäny kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Ami hanesan(yin kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Adeus(yin kɛ̈l)
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?
Quale naran ida?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nin yïn John
Naran hau John.(nin yïn John)
Kɛ̈l yïn?
Kona ba o?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn
Diak ba halo ho o.(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Keta fala Inglês?
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Hau la hatene.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Favor fala ba moris.
Yin wic ke nyin?
Keta bele fala fali?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Onde mak banheira?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Virar ba hadau.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Virar ba direita.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Baa diretamente.
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Iha ne'e barak?
Kɛl thok, yin.
Ticket ida, favor.
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Aye nyin thok.
Hau nune'e.
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Sim
Naa
La
Cok
Talvez
Aye nyin
Hau hakarak
Naa nyin
Hau la hakarak
Käth aŋöör
Nia mak diak
Käŋ aŋöör?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Hau precisa ajuda
Käŋ aŋöör
Hakarak momentu
Aye kɛ̈l
Hau mós
Naa kɛ̈l
La problema
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Parabens
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Parabens ba aniversario
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Cïïr yïnë kël?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Këc yïnë kël?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Këc kël yïnë?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kuoth ke nyin?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r
Esa mak baratu demais.(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Kɛ́l, please
Fatu, por favor.(kɛ́l, please)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?
Servisu iha ka?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Aye ke nyin a kɔc
Hau vegetarian.(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Nyaak ke aŋɔr
Esa mak saboru.(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please
Kopa agua, por favor.(aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Liga ba polícia
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Liga ba ambulansia
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Hau precisa doutor
A jɛt kɔc
Hau sente sick
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Hau hasai passport
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Yɛɛr!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Yin ke nyin
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(Yin ke nyin)
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng
Kita halo reunião(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Cieng nyin ke jieng?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t
Hau sei volta ba ita(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday
Prazo mak sexta-feira(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.