Looking for practical Ewe to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Ewe 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 Ewe 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 Ewe 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.
Woezɔ
Olá(woezo)
Medɔ wo
Obrigadu(medo wo)
Mɛkpɔ
Bondia(mekpo)
Mɛkpɔ ɖe
Bona tarde(mekpo de)
Mɛkpɔ ɖeɖe
Bona noite(mekpo dede)
Mɛkpɔ ɖekakpɔ
Bona noite(mekpo deka)
Nɔ ɖe
Ami hanesan(no de)
Nɔ agbe
Adeus(no agbe)
Nɔ ɖe ɖe?
Quale naran ida?(no de de)
Mawu ɖe John
Naran hau John.(mawu de John)
Nɔ ɖe wò?
Kona ba o?(no de wo)
Mekɔ wò ɖe
Diak ba halo ho o.(meko wo de)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Wòkpɔ̃ ŋlɔ̃ɖi?
Keta fala Inglês?(Wokpɔ̃ nglondi?)
Mèkpɔ Hindi aɖe o.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Mènyɔ ŋu.
Hau la hatene.
Mèkpɔ ɖeɖe.
Favor fala ba moris.
Wòkpɔ ɖe ƒe ŋkɔ?
Keta bele fala fali?
Esi wòle ɖe akɔ?
Onde mak banheira?
Mèkpɔ ɖe ŋkɔ ƒe akɔ?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Kɔ ɖe ƒe.
Virar ba hadau.
Kɔ ɖe aɖe.
Virar ba direita.
Kɔ gɔme.
Baa diretamente.
Nye ɖe ɖe?
Iha ne'e barak?
Mèkpɔ ɖe ɖe aɖe.
Ticket ida, favor.
Esi wòle ɖe aɖe?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Mèkpɔ ɖe.
Hau nune'e.
Esi wòle ɖe aɖe SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yoo
Sim
Ayi
La
Mekɔ
Talvez
Mekɔ nyuie
Hau hakarak
Mekɔ nyuie o
Hau la hakarak
Eyi yɛ fɛ
Nia mak diak
Nukɔmɔ na wò?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Wobɛtɔ m'ahɔ?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Mɛhia m'ahɔ
Hau precisa ajuda
Tɔ nyuie
Hakarak momentu
Mepa wo kyɛw
Hau mós
Nya abɔdɔ
La problema
Meda wo akye
Parabens
Mema wo da a yɛ fɛ
Parabens ba aniversario
Kɔ na ɔdɔm
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wòle nu vɔ̃ ŋkɔmɛ?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Wòle nu vɔ̃ bus stop?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Né wòle platform a?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Né wòle ɖe ɖe?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Eyi ne ɖe ɖe?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Eyi ne ɖe ɖe ɖe?
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Eyi ne ɖe ɖe ɖe?
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Wòle mɔ kpɔ ɖe map?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Mèkpɔ ɖe, meda?
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Né wòle ɖe ɖe?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Esi le nu si?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Eyi yɛ dɔɔdɔ.
Esa mak baratu demais.
Wɔwɔ nu a ɛyɛ dɔɔdɔ?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Mɛtɔ ka wɔ kɔd?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Mɛpɛ akɔtɔ mɔkɔ.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Kɔtɔ, mepa wo kyɛw.
Fatu, por favor.
Ɔyɛ nɔɔma no mu?
Servisu iha ka?
Mɛyɛ ɔkɔmfo.
Hau vegetarian.
Mepa wo kyɛw, mɛmpɛ dɔkita.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Eyi yɛ dɔ.
Esa mak saboru.
Mɛtɔ menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Mepa wo kyɛw, nsuo.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tɔ́ nɔ́tsie
Liga ba polícia(tɔ́ nɔ́tsie)
Tɔ́ amublans
Liga ba ambulansia(tɔ́ amublans)
Mèhia dɔ́kita
Hau precisa doutor(mèhia dɔ́kita)
Mèwɔ́ mɔ́
Hau sente sick(mèwɔ́ mɔ́)
Mèwɔ́ nɔ́kpɔ́m
Hau iha alergia ba karu(mèwɔ́ nɔ́kpɔ́m)
Wòle nɔ́kpɔ́m aɖe?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(wòle nɔ́kpɔ́m aɖe?)
Eyi yɛ mɔ́
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(eyi yɛ mɔ́)
Mèwɔ́ mɔ́ passport
Hau hasai passport(mèwɔ́ mɔ́ passport)
Wòle tɔ́ mɔ́ hotel?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(wòle tɔ́ mɔ́ hotel?)
Mɛkpɔ!
Help!(mɛkpɔ!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Miawoe zɔ
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(Miawoe zo)
Miawoe nyuie le agbe
Kita halo reunião(Miawoe nyuie le agbe)
Né wòle agbe si?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(Ne wo le agbe si?)
Mɛdɔ wòkpɔ dzesi le eŋu
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(Me do wo kpo dzesi le enu)
Mɛdɔ wòkpɔ le eŋu?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(Me do wo kpo le enu?)
Mɛgblɔ be file no le
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(Me glo be file no le)
Akpe na wò agbe
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(Akpe na wo agbe)
Mɛdɔ nyuie le wò
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(Me do nyuie le wo)
Né wòkɔ mɔ na?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(Ne wo ko mo na?)
Miawoe le wò
Hau sei volta ba ita(Miawoe le wo)
Dɔwɔtɔ le Fida
Prazo mak sexta-feira(Dɔwɔtɔ le Fida)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.