Looking for practical Hmong to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Hmong 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 Hmong 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 Hmong 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.
Nyob zoo
Olá
Ua tsaug
Obrigadu
Zoo siab sawv ntxov
Bondia
Zoo siab tav su
Bona tarde
Zoo siab tsaus ntuj
Bona noite
Nplooj siab hmo
Bona noite
Pom dua
Ami hanesan
Kuv mus lawm
Adeus
Koj lub npe hu li cas?
Quale naran ida?
Kuv lub npe hu John
Naran hau John.
Koj nyob li cas?
Kona ba o?
Zoo siab tau ntsib koj
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Koj puas tham lus Askiv?
Keta fala Inglês?
Kuv tsis tham Hindi zoo.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Kuv tsis to taub.
Hau la hatene.
Thov tham maj mam.
Favor fala ba moris.
Koj puas hais dua?
Keta bele fala fali?
Chav dej nyob qhov twg?
Onde mak banheira?
Kuv yuav mus rau lub nroog li cas?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Tso taw mus sab laug.
Virar ba hadau.
Tso taw mus sab xis.
Virar ba direita.
Mus ncaj.
Baa diretamente.
Nqe se yuav yog pes tsawg?
Iha ne'e barak?
Ib daim ntawv ticket, thov.
Ticket ida, favor.
Nws deb li cas ntawm no?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Kuv poob.
Hau nune'e.
Kuv yuav mus yuav SIM card qhov twg?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yog
Sim
Tsis yog
La
Tej zaum
Talvez
Kuv pom zoo
Hau hakarak
Kuv tsis pom zoo
Hau la hakarak
Qhov ntawd zoo
Nia mak diak
Koj xav li cas?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Koj puas tuaj yeem pab kuv?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Kuv xav tau kev pab
Hau precisa ajuda
Thov tos ib pliag
Hakarak momentu
Kuv thov txim
Hau mós
Tsis muaj teeb meem
La problema
Zoo siab
Parabens
Zoo siab hnub yug
Parabens ba aniversario
Thov mus safely
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Qhov twg yog chaw nres tsheb?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Qhov twg yog chaw nres bus?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Qhov twg yog lub platform?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Tej zaum nws mus thaum twg?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Yog qhov no txoj kev zoo?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Nws nyob ze ntawm no.
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Nws nyob deb ntawm no.
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Koj puas qhia kuv ntawm daim ntawv qhia?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Thov nres ntawm no.
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Nws yuav siv sijhawm ntev npaum li cas?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nqe pes tsawg?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Qhov ntawd pheej yig dhau
Esa mak baratu demais.
Koj puas muaj tej yam pheej yig dua?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Koj puas kam kuv them nyiaj los ntawm daim npav?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Kuv xav tau lub rooj rau ob tug.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Daim nqi, thov.
Fatu, por favor.
Koj puas suav nrog kev pab?
Servisu iha ka?
Kuv yog neeg zaub.
Hau vegetarian.
Tsis muaj zaub mov qab zib, thov.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Qhov no qab zib.
Esa mak saboru.
Kuv puas tau txais daim ntawv qhia zaub?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Ib khob dej, thov.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Hu rau tub ceev xwm
Liga ba polícia
Hu rau tsheb thauj neeg
Liga ba ambulansia
Kuv xav tau tus kws kho mob
Hau precisa doutor
Kuv xav tsis zoo
Hau sente sick
Kuv muaj kab mob rau txiv av
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Qhov twg yog tsev kho mob ze tshaj?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Nws mob ntawm no
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Kuv poob kuv daim ntawv hla tebchaws
Hau hasai passport
Koj puas hu rau kuv lub tsev so?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Pab!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Zoo siab ntsib koj
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Cia peb npaj ib rooj sab laj
Kita halo reunião
Thov qhia seb thaum twg haum rau koj?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Kuv yuav xa daim ntawv tshaj tawm hnub no
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Koj puas kam tham hnub no?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Thov pom cov ntaub ntawv txuas ntxiv
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Ua tsaug rau koj lub sijhawm
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Kuv tos ntsoov yuav ua haujlwm nrog koj
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Koj puas tuaj yeem piav qhia qhov ntawd?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Cia kuv rov qab los rau koj
Hau sei volta ba ita
Lub sijhawm kawg yog hnub Friday
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.