Looking for practical Javanese to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Javanese 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 Javanese 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.
Halo
Olá
Matur nuwun
Obrigadu
Selamat pagi
Bondia
Selamat siang
Bona tarde
Selamat sore
Bona noite
Selamat dalu
Bona noite
Sampai ketemu
Ami hanesan
Selamat tinggal
Adeus
Sapa jenengmu?
Quale naran ida?
Jenengku John
Naran hau John.
Kepiye kabarmu?
Kona ba o?
Seneng ketemu sampeyan
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Apa sampeyan bisa ngomong Inggris?
Keta fala Inglês?(Apa sampyan bisa ngomong Inggris?)
Aku ora bisa ngomong Hindi kanthi apik
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(Aku ora bisa ngomong Hindi kanthi apik)
Aku ora ngerti
Hau la hatene.(Aku ora ngerti)
Mangga ngomong alon-alon
Favor fala ba moris.(Mangga ngomong alon-alon)
Bisa ngomong maneh?
Keta bele fala fali?(Bisa ngomong maneh?)
Endi kamar mandi?
Onde mak banheira?(Endi kamar mandi?)
Kepiye carane aku menyang pusat kutha?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(Kepiye carane aku menyang pusat kutha?)
Bengkok kiwa
Virar ba hadau.(Bengkok kiwa)
Bengkok tengen
Virar ba direita.(Bengkok tengen)
Maju terus
Baa diretamente.(Maju terus)
Pira tarifé?
Iha ne'e barak?(Pira tarifé?)
Siji tiket, mangga
Ticket ida, favor.(Siji tiket, mangga)
Apa adoh saka kene?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(Apa adoh saka kene?)
Aku kesasar
Hau nune'e.(Aku kesasar)
Endi aku bisa tuku kartu SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(Endi aku bisa tuku kartu SIM?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ya
Sim
Ora
La
Mbok menawa
Talvez
Aku setuju
Hau hakarak
Aku ora setuju
Hau la hakarak
Kedengarane apik
Nia mak diak
Kowe mikir apa?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Apa kowe bisa mbantu aku?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Aku butuh bantuan
Hau precisa ajuda
Enteni sak menika
Hakarak momentu
Aku nyuwun pangapunten
Hau mós
Ora masalah
La problema
Sugeng rawuh
Parabens
Selamat ulang tahun
Parabens ba aniversario
Mugi perjalananmu aman
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Endi stasiun sepur?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Endi halte bis?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Platform endi iki?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Jam pira iku mangkat?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Apa iki dalan sing bener?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Iku cedhak kene
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Iku adoh saka kene
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Apa sampeyan bisa nuduhake aku ing peta?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Mandheg ing kene, mangga
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Pira suwe wektu sing dibutuhake?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Pira regane iki?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Iku larang banget
Esa mak baratu demais.
Apa sampeyan duwe sing luwih murah?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Apa aku bisa mbayar nganggo kartu?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Aku pengin meja kanggo loro
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Tagihan, please
Fatu, por favor.
Apa layanan wis kalebu?
Servisu iha ka?
Aku vegetarian
Hau vegetarian.
Aja panganan pedhes, please
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Iki enak
Esa mak saboru.
Apa aku bisa njaluk menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Siji gelas banyu, please
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Telpon polisi
Liga ba polícia
Telpon ambulans
Liga ba ambulansia
Aku butuh dokter
Hau precisa doutor
Aku krasa lara
Hau sente sick
Aku alergi kacang
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Ngendi rumah sakit paling cedhak?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Iki lara
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Aku ilang paspor
Hau hasai passport
Apa sampeyan bisa telpon hotelku?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Tulung!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Seneng ketemu sampeyan
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(seneng ketemu sampean)
Ayo kita jadwalkan rapat
Kita halo reunião(ayo kita jadwal rapat)
Jam pira sing cocog kanggo sampeyan?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(jam pira sing cocok kanggo sampean?)
Aku bakal ngirim laporan dina iki
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(aku bakal ngirim laporan dina iki)
Apa kita bisa ngomong sesuk?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(apa kita bisa ngomong sesuk?)
Mangga deleng file sing dilampirake
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(mangga deleng file sing dilampirake)
Matur nuwun kanggo wektu sampeyan
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(matur nuwun kanggo wektu sampean)
Aku ngarep-arep bisa kerja bareng sampeyan
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(aku ngarep-arep bisa kerja bareng sampean)
Apa sampeyan bisa nerangake titik kuwi?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(apa sampean bisa nerangake titik kuwi?)
Ayo aku wangsuli sampeyan
Hau sei volta ba ita(ayo aku wangsuli sampean)
Wektu pungkasan yaiku Jumat
Prazo mak sexta-feira(waktu pungkasan yaiku Jumat)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.