Looking for practical Kanuri to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kanuri 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 Kanuri 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.
Sannu
Olá
Nagode
Obrigadu
Ina kwana
Bondia
Ina yamma
Bona tarde
Ina dare
Bona noite
Sai da safe
Bona noite
Zan ganka
Ami hanesan
Sai anjima
Adeus
Menene sunanka?
Quale naran ida?
Sunana John
Naran hau John.
Lafiya lau?
Kona ba o?
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Kuna magana da Turanci?
Keta fala Inglês?
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Ba na fahimta.
Hau la hatene.
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
Favor fala ba moris.
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
Keta bele fala fali?
Ina wanka?
Onde mak banheira?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Juya hagu.
Virar ba hadau.
Juya dama.
Virar ba direita.
Tafiya kai tsaye.
Baa diretamente.
Nawa ne farashin?
Iha ne'e barak?
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
Ticket ida, favor.
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Na ɓace.
Hau nune'e.
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eey
Sim(ee-y)
A'a
La(ah-ah)
Wata
Talvez(wah-tah)
Na amu
Hau hakarak(nah ah-moo)
Na a'a amu
Hau la hakarak(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
Iya na
Nia mak diak(ee-yah nah)
Kaya ka yi tunani?
Ita nian ideia sa?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
Za ka iya taimaka min?
Mak bele ajuda hau?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Na bukaci taimako
Hau precisa ajuda(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Duba dan lokaci
Hakarak momentu(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Na yi hakuri
Hau mós(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Babu matsala
La problema(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
Taya murna
Parabens(tah-yah moor-nah)
Barka da haihuwa
Parabens ba aniversario(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
Ka yi tafiya lafiya
Hau haruka viagen diak(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Nye boko na gari?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Nye boko na bas?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Wane boko na?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Wane lokaci ya tafi?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Shin wannan hanya ce?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Yana kusa da nan
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Yana nesa da nan
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Tsaida nan, don Allah
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Yaya tsawon lokaci?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nayi na kudi?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.
Esa mak baratu demais.
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Ina so tebur don biyu.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Lissafi, don Allah.
Fatu, por favor.
Shin sabis ya haɗa?
Servisu iha ka?
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.
Hau vegetarian.
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Wannan yana da dadi.
Esa mak saboru.
Zan iya samun menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Dawari janga
Liga ba polícia(Dawari janga)
Dawari ambulan
Liga ba ambulansia(Dawari ambulan)
Ni na doctor
Hau precisa doutor(Ni na doctor)
Ni na jaga
Hau sente sick(Ni na jaga)
Ni na haji goro
Hau iha alergia ba karu(Ni na haji goro)
Ina asibiti na kusa?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
Yana ciwo a nan
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(Yana ciwo a nan)
Ni na rasa passport na
Hau hasai passport(Ni na rasa passport na)
Za ka iya dawari otel na?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Taimako!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nde gaishe
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(nde gaishe)
Mu gaishe taro
Kita halo reunião(mu gaishe taro)
Wai gaishe lokaci?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(wai gaishe lokaci)
Zan tura rahoto yau
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(zan tura rahoto yau)
Zamu iya magana gobe?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Na gode da lokacinka
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(na gode da lokacinka)
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)