Looking for practical Kiga to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kiga 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 Kiga 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.
Okwagala
Olá
Webale
Obrigadu
Osiibye bulungi
Bondia
Osiibye bulungi
Bona tarde
Osiibye bulungi
Bona noite
Osiibye bulungi
Bona noite
Tugenda okukutana
Ami hanesan
Nkwagala
Adeus
Erinnya lyo ani?
Quale naran ida?
Erinnya lyange nze John
Naran hau John.
Oli otya?
Kona ba o?
Nneebwanga okukuyita
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oli muwandiika kiingereza?
Keta fala Inglês?
Sikuwandiika Hindi bulungi.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Sikuganya.
Hau la hatene.
Nkwenda okwandiika bulungi.
Favor fala ba moris.
Osobola okuwandiika ekyo na?
Keta bele fala fali?
Ekitanda kiki?
Onde mak banheira?
Nkwenda otya mu kiti?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Genda ku kkono.
Virar ba hadau.
Genda ku ddyo.
Virar ba direita.
Genda mu maaso.
Baa diretamente.
Ekitundu kiki?
Iha ne'e barak?
Ekitanda emu, nyamba.
Ticket ida, favor.
Kiki ekitundu okuva wano?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ndi mu kwegendereza.
Hau nune'e.
Nkwenda kutuuka wa SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eee
Sim
Oya
La
Wali
Talvez
Ndiinze
Hau hakarak
Sindiinze
Hau la hakarak
Ekitanga kiza
Nia mak diak
Oteka ki?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Okwetegera?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Nfuna okwetegera
Hau precisa ajuda
Leka akaseke
Hakarak momentu
Ndi mwefwe
Hau mós
Tera kintu
La problema
Nkwagala
Parabens
Okwagala omwaka omukya
Parabens ba aniversario
Okwetegera mu nsi
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eri heza y'ekitabo?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Eri heza y'ekibuga?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ekiyungiriro ki?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Ekitonde ki?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Oni omukono ogw'ekirungi?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Eri wansi wano
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Eri kure wano
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Oyinza okundabira ku karita?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Mugume wano, nyabo
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Ekitanga ki?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ekitanga ki?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Ekitanga ky'ekikula
Esa mak baratu demais.(ekitanga ky'ekikula)
Oli n'ekintu ekirungi?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(oli n'ekintu ekirungi)
Nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi)
Nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri)
Ekitabo, nyabo
Fatu, por favor.(ekitabo, nyabo)
Okwetegereza kuli mu?
Servisu iha ka?(okwetegereza kuli mu)
Ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya
Hau vegetarian.(ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya)
Tewali ebyokulya ebikalu
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(tewali ebyokulya ebikalu)
Ekitanga ky'ekyokulya
Esa mak saboru.(ekitanga ky'ekyokulya)
Nkwenda okufuna omukutu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(nkwenda okufuna omukutu)
Ekitanda ky'amazi, nyabo
Kopa agua, por favor.(ekitanda ky'amazi, nyabo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Funa polisi
Liga ba polícia
Funa ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Nkeneye omuganga
Hau precisa doutor
Ndi mu bubi
Hau sente sick
Ndi na allergy ku nkuzi
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Ehe hospital ey'ekyenkya?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Bikunyumya wano
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Nfunye passport yange
Hau hasai passport
Okwesiga okufuna hotel yange?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Mbadde!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nishimwe kuganira
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(Nishimwe kuganira)
Tugende mu nama
Kita halo reunião
Ni ryari byakugendekera?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Twashobora kuganira ejo?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hamwe
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Urakoze ku mwanya wawe
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ntegereje gukorana nawe
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Wansobanurira icyo?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Nzakugarukaho
Hau sei volta ba ita
Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.