Looking for practical Kikongo to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kikongo 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 Kikongo 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.
Mbote
Olá
Mele
Obrigadu
Mokolo mayele
Bondia
Mokolo ya ntango
Bona tarde
Mokolo ya mambu
Bona noite
Mokolo ya mpembe
Bona noite
Tala mosi
Ami hanesan
Tata
Adeus
Nki yina nzo?
Quale naran ida?
Nzo yami ke John
Naran hau John.
Oko wanga?
Kona ba o?
Nki ya mosi na yo
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oyo o zola kutu English?
Keta fala Inglês?
Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Nkeni kanga.
Hau la hatene.
Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.
Favor fala ba moris.
Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?
Keta bele fala fali?
Kutu wapi banzela?
Onde mak banheira?
Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Tanda na luma.
Virar ba hadau.
Tanda na mambu.
Virar ba direita.
Enda na mosi.
Baa diretamente.
Nki mbongo ya ndako?
Iha ne'e barak?
Ticket mosi, mokolo.
Ticket ida, favor.
Nki feti na wapi?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Nkeni zola.
Hau nune'e.
Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Sim
Te
La
Kasi
Talvez
Nkiadi
Hau hakarak
Nkiadi te
Hau la hakarak
Oyo ke nkiadi malamu
Nia mak diak
Nkiadi nini?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Okanza kudi nki?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Nkiadi kudi nki
Hau precisa ajuda
Lela na nki
Hakarak momentu
Nkiadi na nki
Hau mós
Te na nki
La problema
Tata na nki
Parabens
Mokolo ya mbote
Parabens ba aniversario
Tala na nzala ya malamu
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Wana wanga na bus?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Nki platform yai?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Yai ke nzila ya nki?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Eza na nsi ya nzo
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Eza na mosi ya nzo
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Okanisa ngai na mape?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Nki ntangu yina yenda?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nki yina kudi?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Yina kele na nsi
Esa mak baratu demais.(yina kele na nsi)
Ona kima ki nsi?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(ona kima ki nsi)
Ncanza kudi na kadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(ncanza kudi na kadi)
Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi)
Kadi, ndakisa
Fatu, por favor.(kadi, ndakisa)
Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na?
Servisu iha ka?(kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na)
Ndi muvegetari
Hau vegetarian.(ndi muvegetari)
Kaka mfu, ndakisa
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(kaka mfu, ndakisa)
Yina kele na nsi
Esa mak saboru.(yina kele na nsi)
Ncanza na menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(ncanza na menu)
Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa
Kopa agua, por favor.(ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Landa boma
Liga ba polícia
Landa ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Nkeni mosi
Hau precisa doutor
Nkeni na mbisi
Hau sente sick
Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Wana hospital ya mbote?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Eka na nki
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai
Hau hasai passport
Olanda hotel na ngai?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Tala!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nzo ya kima
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(Nzò ya kima)
Tukala na mbandu
Kita halo reunião(Tukàla na mbàndu)
Nki nsi ya ntangu?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(Nki nsi ya ntángu?)
Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(Ndi zòla ku sendèla nsi ya lufùlu)
Tukala na kanda se
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(Tukàla na kànda sè?)
Tula nsi ya file ya kima
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(Tùla nsi ya file ya kima)
Mosi na nsi ya ntangu
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(Mòsi na nsi ya ntángu)
Ndi zola ku zola na yo
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(Ndi zòla ku zòla na yò)
Nki o zola ku zola nki?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(Nki o zòla ku zòla nki?)
Ndi zola ku yindula na yo
Hau sei volta ba ita(Ndi zòla ku yìndula na yò)
Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo
Prazo mak sexta-feira(Nsi ya kima yìna nsi ya mposò)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.