Looking for practical Hakha Chin to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Hakha Chin 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: pick five Tetum phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Hakha Chin 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.
Hello
Olá
Khawngaih
Obrigadu
Zohkhenh
Bondia
Zohkhenh a hnu
Bona tarde
Zohkhenh a hnuai
Bona noite
Zohkhenh a hnuai
Bona noite
Nangmah a si
Ami hanesan
Nangmah a si
Adeus
Nang in minung a si hna?
Quale naran ida?
Ka minung John a si
Naran hau John.
Nang in kum a si hna?
Kona ba o?
Nang in a hmu thei a si
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nangmah English a si lo?
Keta fala Inglês?(Nangmah English a si lo?)
Ka Hindi a si lo hna
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(Ka Hindi a si lo hna)
Ka hmu lo
Hau la hatene.(Ka hmu lo)
Chiahnak a tluan hna
Favor fala ba moris.(Chiahnak a tluan hna)
An i hmu loh a si?
Keta bele fala fali?(An i hmu loh a si?)
Khawngah a si hna?
Onde mak banheira?(Khawngah a si hna?)
Kumkhua a si hna in ka hmu hna?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(Kumkhua a si hna in ka hmu hna?)
Khawtah a tluan
Virar ba hadau.(Khawtah a tluan)
Khawtah a tluan
Virar ba direita.(Khawtah a tluan)
Tawh a tluan
Baa diretamente.(Tawh a tluan)
Khawngah a si hna?
Iha ne'e barak?(Khawngah a si hna?)
Ticket pakhat, chiah
Ticket ida, favor.(Ticket pakhat, chiah)
Khawngah a si hna?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(Khawngah a si hna?)
Ka hmu lo
Hau nune'e.(Ka hmu lo)
SIM card a si hna in ka hmu hna?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(SIM card a si hna in ka hmu hna?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
A
Sim(a)
A si lo
La(a see lo)
A si lo hna
Talvez(a see lo hna)
Ka a si
Hau hakarak(ka a see)
Ka a si lo
Hau la hakarak(ka a see lo)
Heh a si
Nia mak diak(heh a see)
Nangmah a hmu hna?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Nang ka hmu thei lo?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ka hmu thei
Hau precisa ajuda(ka hmu thei)
Nang a hman a si
Hakarak momentu(nang a hman a see)
Ka hrih lo
Hau mós(ka hrih lo)
A si lo
La problema(a see lo)
Nangmah a hmu a si
Parabens(nangmah a hmu a see)
Nangmah a hmu a si
Parabens ba aniversario(nangmah a hmu a see)
Nangmah a hman a si
Hau haruka viagen diak(nangmah a hman a see)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Tawng hna a si ah?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Bus hna a si ah?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Platform a si hna?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Khan a hmu hna?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Heh a si hna?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Heh a hnu hna.
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Heh a hnu hna lo.
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Map ah ka hmu hna?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Heh a si ah, please.
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Nangmah a hmu hna?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I hmuahhmuah a si ve?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
He a hmuahhmuah a si lo.
Esa mak baratu demais.
Nangmah a hmuahhmuah hleih lo?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Ka card in a chiah ve?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Ka hmuak a, a hnuai hna.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Ka hmuahhmuah, chiah.
Fatu, por favor.
Service a hmuahhmuah a si?
Servisu iha ka?
Ka vegetarian a si.
Hau vegetarian.
Spicy a hmuahhmuah lo, chiah.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
He a hmuahhmuah a si.
Esa mak saboru.
Ka menu a hmuak ve?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
A hmuahhmuah a, a hnuai a.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Khawl a sianginn
Liga ba polícia(kawhl a siangin)
Ambulance a sianginn
Liga ba ambulansia(ambulance a siangin)
Doctor a siang a si
Hau precisa doutor(doctor a siang a si)
Ka hriat lo
Hau sente sick(ka hriat lo)
Peanut a hriat lo
Hau iha alergia ba karu(peanut a hriat lo)
Hospital a hmu a si hna?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(hospital a hmu a si hna)
He a phawt
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(he a phawt)
Ka passport a hmu lo
Hau hasai passport(ka passport a hmu lo)
Ka hotel a siang a si?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(ka hotel a siang a si)
Thil a hmu!
Help!(thil a hmu)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nangmah a si lo
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(nangmah a si lo)
Kan hmuahhmuah a si
Kita halo reunião(kan hmuahhmuah a si)
Nanghka hmanh a si hna?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(nanghka hmanh a si hna)
Nangin report hi a hmu
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(nangin report hi a hmu)
Nangin a hmu loh a si?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(nangin a hmu loh a si)
File hi a hmu lo
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(file hi a hmu lo)
Nangin a hma a si
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(nangin a hma a si)
Nangin a hmuahhmuah a si
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(nangin a hmuahhmuah a si)
Nangin a hmu loh a si?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(nangin a hmu loh a si)
Kan hmuahhmuah a si
Hau sei volta ba ita(kan hmuahhmuah a si)
Deadline hi Friday a si
Prazo mak sexta-feira(deadline hi Friday a si)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.