Looking for practical Dyula to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dyula 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tetum-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Dyula 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.
I ni ce
Olá(ee nee che)
I ni sogoma
Obrigadu(ee nee so-goh-mah)
I ni bɛɛ
Bondia(ee nee beh)
I ni kɛlɛ
Bona tarde(ee nee keh-leh)
I ni tɔɔrɔ
Bona noite(ee nee toh-roh)
I ni fɔlɔ
Bona noite(ee nee fo-loh)
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Ami hanesan(n beh so-roh)
Ka kɛ
Adeus(kah keh)
I bɛ na?
Quale naran ida?(ee beh nah)
N na John
Naran hau John.(n nah John)
I ni fɛ?
Kona ba o?(ee nee feh)
N bɛ sɔrɔ i
Diak ba halo ho o.(n beh so-roh ee)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni kɔrɔ English?
Keta fala Inglês?(I ni kɔrɔ English?)
N tɛgɛ Hindi bɛɛ kɔrɔ
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(N tɛgɛ Hindi bɛɛ kɔrɔ)
N tɛgɛ
Hau la hatene.(N tɛgɛ)
Sɔrɔ, i kɔrɔ sɔgɔ
Favor fala ba moris.(Sɔrɔ, i kɔrɔ sɔgɔ)
I bɛ kɔrɔ a fɔ?
Keta bele fala fali?(I bɛ kɔrɔ a fɔ?)
Bɔlɔ fɔlɔ kɔ?
Onde mak banheira?(Bɔlɔ fɔlɔ kɔ?)
N bɛ kɔ bɔlɔ kɛlɛ?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(N bɛ kɔ bɔlɔ kɛlɛ?)
Fɔlɔ kɛ
Virar ba hadau.(Fɔlɔ kɛ)
Fɔlɔ bɛ
Virar ba direita.(Fɔlɔ bɛ)
Kɔ sɔgɔ
Baa diretamente.(Kɔ sɔgɔ)
N bɛ kɔrɔ kɛlɛ?
Iha ne'e barak?(N bɛ kɔrɔ kɛlɛ?)
Kɔtɔ, sɔrɔ
Ticket ida, favor.(Kɔtɔ, sɔrɔ)
I bɛ fɔlɔ kɛ?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(I bɛ fɔlɔ kɛ?)
N bɛ tɛgɛ
Hau nune'e.(N bɛ tɛgɛ)
N bɛ fɔlɔ SIM card kɛ?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(N bɛ fɔlɔ SIM card kɛ?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Awa
Sim
Ayi
La
Sama
Talvez
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Hau hakarak
N bɛ sɔrɔ kɛ
Hau la hakarak
I bɛ sɔrɔ kɛ
Nia mak diak
I bɛ sɔrɔ kɛn?
Ita nian ideia sa?
I bɛ tɔgɔ mɛn?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
N bɛ tɔgɔ
Hau precisa ajuda
Fɔlɔ kɔrɔ
Hakarak momentu
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Hau mós
Ayi bɛ sɔrɔ
La problema
N bɛ sɔrɔ fɛ
Parabens
Bara fɛsɛ
Parabens ba aniversario
I bɛ kɔ fɛ kɛ
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
N ye train station kɔ?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
N ye bus stop kɔ?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
N bɛɛ platform kɔ?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
N bɛɛ jɔ kɔ?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
I ye nyɛ kɔ?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
I ye bɔ kɔ a la.
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
I ye bɔ kɔ a la bɔ.
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
I bɛ tɛgɛ mɛn kɔ map la?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Sɔrɔ a la, bɛɛ.
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
N bɛɛ jɔ kɔ bɔ?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ni ce?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
O ye fɔlɔ.
Esa mak baratu demais.
I bɛ ye kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
N bɛ tɔɔrɔ kɔ?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ tɔɔ.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
N bɛ fɔlɔ, jɛ.
Fatu, por favor.
Sɛbɛ bɛ fɔlɔ?
Servisu iha ka?
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ.
Hau vegetarian.
Ala fɔlɔ kɔrɔ, jɛ.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
I ye fɛ.
Esa mak saboru.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
N bɛ fɔlɔ dɔɔni, jɛ.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
N ka bɛɛ yera
Liga ba polícia(N ka bɛɛ yera)
N ka bɛɛ kɔrɔ
Liga ba ambulansia(N ka bɛɛ kɔrɔ)
N bɛɛ fɔlɔ
Hau precisa doutor(N bɛɛ fɔlɔ)
N bɛɛ sɔrɔ
Hau sente sick(N bɛɛ sɔrɔ)
N bɛɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
Hau iha alergia ba karu(N bɛɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ)
Ala kɔrɔ bɛɛ fɔlɔ?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(Ala kɔrɔ bɛɛ fɔlɔ?)
I bɛɛ sɔrɔ
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(I bɛɛ sɔrɔ)
N bɛɛ sɔgɔ kɔrɔ
Hau hasai passport(N bɛɛ sɔgɔ kɔrɔ)
I bɛɛ kɔrɔ n bɛɛ kɔrɔ?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(I bɛɛ kɔrɔ n bɛɛ kɔrɔ?)
Yɛlɛ!
Help!(Yɛlɛ!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
N'ko fôlô
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(n'ko folo)
N'ko bôlô fôlô
Kita halo reunião(n'ko bolo folo)
N'ko fôlô kôlô?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(n'ko folo kolo)
N'ko têgê fôlô kô
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(n'ko tege folo ko)
N'ko bôlô kô fôlô
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(n'ko bolo ko folo)
N'ko bôlô fôlô kô
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(n'ko bolo folo ko)
N'ko sôgô fôlô
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(n'ko sogo folo)
N'ko fôlô kô fôlô
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(n'ko folo ko folo)
N'ko fôlô kô
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(n'ko folo ko)
N'ko bôlô fôlô
Hau sei volta ba ita(n'ko bolo folo)
N'ko fôlô kô
Prazo mak sexta-feira(n'ko folo ko)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.