Looking for practical Fon to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Fon 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 Fon 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.
Nɔ́
Olá(nɔ́)
Mèdɔ́
Obrigadu(mèdɔ́)
Mèdɔ́ agblɔ
Bondia(mèdɔ́ agblɔ)
Mèdɔ́ ɖe
Bona tarde(mèdɔ́ ɖe)
Mèdɔ́ ɖeɖe
Bona noite(mèdɔ́ ɖeɖe)
Mèdɔ́ xɔxɔ
Bona noite(mèdɔ́ xɔxɔ)
Nɔ́ wɛ
Ami hanesan(nɔ́ wɛ)
Nɔ́ wɛ ɖe
Adeus(nɔ́ wɛ ɖe)
Nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?
Quale naran ida?(nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?)
Mè nɔ́ John
Naran hau John.(mè nɔ́ John)
Nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?
Kona ba o?(nɔ́ wɛ nɔ́?)
Mèdɔ́ nɔ́
Diak ba halo ho o.(mèdɔ́ nɔ́)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I gbè yé èdè Gẹ̀ẹ́sì?
Keta fala Inglês?
Mè n'gbè yé Èdè Hindi kè.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Mè n'kó nù.
Hau la hatene.
S'il vous plaît, gbè yé kè.
Favor fala ba moris.
Mè s'kà yé nù?
Keta bele fala fali?
Èwé n'kà dɔ́?
Onde mak banheira?
Mè n'kà yé nù àlà nà?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Tò n'kà kè.
Virar ba hadau.
Tò n'kà pɔ́.
Virar ba direita.
Lè n'kà kè.
Baa diretamente.
Kí n'kà dɔ́?
Iha ne'e barak?
Mè s'kà àyé, s'il vous plaît.
Ticket ida, favor.
Èwé n'kà mɛ́?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Mè n'kà nɔ́.
Hau nune'e.
Èwé n'kà nɔ́ SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ɛ
Sim(e)
Ayi
La(ayi)
Mɛ
Talvez(me)
Mè yé
Hau hakarak(me ye)
Mè n'yi
Hau la hakarak(me n'yi)
N'kɔ nɔ
Nia mak diak(n'ko no)
N'kɔ a kɔ?
Ita nian ideia sa?(n'ko a ko)
I n'kɔ mɛ?
Mak bele ajuda hau?(i n'ko me)
Mè n'kɔ mɛ
Hau precisa ajuda(me n'ko me)
Tɔ́ nɔ
Hakarak momentu(to no)
Mè nɔ n'kɔ
Hau mós(me no n'ko)
Ayi n'kɔ
La problema(ayi n'ko)
Mè nɔ wé
Parabens(me no we)
Mè nɔ tɔ́
Parabens ba aniversario(me no to)
N'kɔ a wé dɔ
Hau haruka viagen diak(n'ko a we do)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
N'ye wé train station?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
N'ye wé bus stop?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ké platform na?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Ké sa a yé?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
N'ye wé yé na?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Yé na hɛn
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Yé na hɛn gbo
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Mè wé hɛn n'ye map?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Tó hɛn, s'il vous plaît
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Ké sa a yé?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mè wé na?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Yè wé bɔ́ nɔ́.
Esa mak baratu demais.
A wé nɔ́ dɔ́?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Mè wé hɛn nɔ́?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Mè wé dɔ́ nɔ́ fɔ́.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
A wé nɔ́ bɔ́.
Fatu, por favor.
Sè wé bɔ́?
Servisu iha ka?
Mè wé kɔ́ nɔ́.
Hau vegetarian.
Mè wé nɔ́ kɔ́ nɔ́.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Yè wé sɔ́.
Esa mak saboru.
Mè wé nɔ́ mɛ́ nɔ́?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Mè wé nɔ́ gɔ́ nɔ́.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nɔ̀ nɔ́ wɛ́
Liga ba polícia(nɔ̀ nɔ́ wɛ́)
Nɔ̀ nɔ́ àmblans
Liga ba ambulansia(nɔ̀ nɔ́ àmblans)
Mè hùn wá dɔ́ktɛ́
Hau precisa doutor(mè hùn wá dɔ́ktɛ́)
Mè tɔ́ dɔ́
Hau sente sick(mè tɔ́ dɔ́)
Mè wá nùmɛ́ kɔ́
Hau iha alergia ba karu(mè wá nùmɛ́ kɔ́)
Fɔ́ wɛ́ dɔ́kita nɔ́?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(fɔ́ wɛ́ dɔ́kita nɔ́?)
A hùn nɔ́
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(a hùn nɔ́)
Mè lɔ́ mɔ́ kɔ́tɔ́
Hau hasai passport(mè lɔ́ mɔ́ kɔ́tɔ́)
Kɔ́ nɔ́ nɔ́ wɛ́ mɔ́ hɔ́tɛ́l?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(kɔ́ nɔ́ nɔ́ wɛ́ mɔ́ hɔ́tɛ́l?)
Sè!
Help!(sè!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Mè wá nɔ́
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(Me wa no)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́
Kita halo reunião(Me to no ko so)
Nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ kó?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(No ko so ko?)
Mè yé sɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ bɔ́
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(Me ye so no ko bo)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ bɔ́ kɔ́
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(Me to no ko bo ko)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ nɔ́
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(Me to no ko so no)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ nɔ́
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(Me to no ko no)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(Me to no ko so)
Nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ kó?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(No ko so ko?)
Mè tɔ́ nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́
Hau sei volta ba ita(Me to no ko so)
Nɔ́ kɔ́ sɔ́ kó
Prazo mak sexta-feira(No ko so ko)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.