Looking for practical Dombe to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dombe 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 Dombe 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 Dombe 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.
Salibonani
Olá
Ngiyabonga
Obrigadu
Ubusuku obuhle
Bondia
Uhlanga oluhle
Bona tarde
Ubusuku obuhle
Bona noite
Lala kahle
Bona noite
Siyaphinda
Ami hanesan
Hamba kahle
Adeus
Ubani igama lakho?
Quale naran ida?
Igama lami nguJohn
Naran hau John.
Unjani?
Kona ba o?
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uta kuta chiRungu?
Keta fala Inglês?
Ndi ndakuta Hindi zvakanaka.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Ndi ndinzwisise.
Hau la hatene.
Ndapota kuta zvishoma.
Favor fala ba moris.
Ungazvitaura zvakare?
Keta bele fala fali?
Chikamu chechimbuzi chiri kupi?
Onde mak banheira?
Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwekugara?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Tendeuka kuruboshwe.
Virar ba hadau.
Tendeuka kurudyi.
Virar ba direita.
Enda mberi.
Baa diretamente.
Mitero inodhura zvakadini?
Iha ne'e barak?
Tikiti imwe, ndapota.
Ticket ida, favor.
Iri kure here kubva pano?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ndakanyura.
Hau nune'e.
Ndingatenga sei kadhi reSIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ehe
Sim
Aih
La
Zvichida
Talvez
Ndinobvumirana
Hau hakarak
Ndinopikisa
Hau la hakarak
Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka
Nia mak diak
Unofungei?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Unogona kundibatsira here?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ndiri kuda rubatsiro
Hau precisa ajuda
Mirira kwechinguva
Hakarak momentu
Ndine hurombo
Hau mós
Hapana dambudziko
La problema
Makorokoto
Parabens
Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa
Parabens ba aniversario
Iva nerwendo rwakanaka
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kupi yehamba yechitima?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Kupi yehamba yebhazi?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ndeipi chikuva?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Ndeipi nguva inobva?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Iyi ndiyo nzira yakarurama?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Iri pedyo pano
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Iri kure nepanotangira
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Unogona kundiratidza pamepu?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Mira pano, ndapota
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Inotora nguva yakareba?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iri chingani?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Iri kutengesa kwazvo
Esa mak baratu demais.(iri kutengesa kwazvo)
Une chimwe chiri kutengesa chiri pasi?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(une chimwe chiri kutengesa chiri pasi)
Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(ndingabhadhara nekadhi here)
Ndinoda tafura yevaviri
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(ndinoda tafura yevaviri)
Chikwereti, ndapota
Fatu, por favor.(chikwereti, ndapota)
Sevhisi yakasanganisirwa here?
Servisu iha ka?(sevhisi yakasanganisirwa here)
Ndiri vegetarian
Hau vegetarian.(ndiri vegetarian)
Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota)
Iri rinonaka
Esa mak saboru.(iri rinonaka)
Ndingawana menyu here?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(ndingawana menyu here)
Girazi remvura, ndapota
Kopa agua, por favor.(girazi remvura, ndapota)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fona mapurisa
Liga ba polícia
Fona amburensi
Liga ba ambulansia
Ndiri kuda chiremba
Hau precisa doutor
Ndiri kurwara
Hau sente sick
Ndine allergy kumapere
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Papi chipatara chiri pedyo?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Zvinorwadza pano
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu
Hau hasai passport
Unogona kufona hotera yangu?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Rubatsiro!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndiwe wakanaka
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Ngatironge musangano
Kita halo reunião
Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Ndichatumira mushumo nhasi
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Tingataure mangwana here?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Ndapota tsvaga faira rakabatanidzwa
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Ndatenda nenguva yako
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Ungajekesa ipapo here?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Nditende kuti ndidzoke kwauri
Hau sei volta ba ita
Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.