Looking for practical Kinyarwanda to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kinyarwanda 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 Kinyarwanda 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.
Muraho
Olá
Urakoze
Obrigadu
Bwakire bwiza
Bondia
Nimugoroba mwiza
Bona tarde
Mwaramutse mwiza
Bona noite
Ijoro ryiza
Bona noite
Tuzabonana nyuma
Ami hanesan
Murabeho
Adeus
Witwa nde?
Quale naran ida?
Nitwa John
Naran hau John.
Umeze ute?
Kona ba o?
Nishimiye kukumenya
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uravuga Icyongereza?
Keta fala Inglês?
Sinavuga Hindi neza
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Sinumva
Hau la hatene.
Nyabuneka vuga buhoro
Favor fala ba moris.
Wabivuga ukundi?
Keta bele fala fali?
Aho ubwiherero buri he?
Onde mak banheira?
Nagenda nte ku mugi?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Hindukira ibumoso
Virar ba hadau.
Hindukira iburyo
Virar ba direita.
Genda imbere
Baa diretamente.
Igiciro ni ikihe?
Iha ne'e barak?
Itike imwe, nyabuneka
Ticket ida, favor.
Ni kure hano?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ndi mu kaga
Hau nune'e.
Nshobora kugura SIM card he?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yego
Sim
Oya
La
Birashoboka
Talvez
Ndemeranya
Hau hakarak
Sinemeranya
Hau la hakarak
Birumvikana neza
Nia mak diak
Ubitekerezaho iki?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Urashobora kumfasha?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Nkeneye ubufasha
Hau precisa ajuda
Tegereza gato
Hakarak momentu
Ndakwinginze
Hau mós
Nta kibazo
La problema
Ibyishimo
Parabens
Isabukuru nziza
Parabens ba aniversario
Ugire urugendo rwiza
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Aho ahagarara bisi?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ni iyihe platform?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Igihe izava ryari?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Iri hafi hano
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Iri kure hano
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Hagarara hano, nyabuneka
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Bifata igihe kingana iki?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyi igura angahe?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Ibyo ni ibihenze cyane.
Esa mak baratu demais.
Ufite ikintu cyoroheje?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Nshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Nashaka ameza y'abantu babiri.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Ndagusabye, umwenda.
Fatu, por favor.
Serivisi irimo?
Servisu iha ka?
Ndi umunyvegetari.
Hau vegetarian.
Ntimukanyuze ibiryo birimo umunyu.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Ibi biraryoshye.
Esa mak saboru.
Nshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Ndagusabye, igikombe cy'amazi.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Hamagara polisi
Liga ba polícia
Hamagara ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Nkeneye umuganga
Hau precisa doutor
Ndumva ndwaye
Hau sente sick
Mfite allergie ku mbuto z'ihene
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Ihagararanye ry'ubuvuzi rihe?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Birambabaza hano
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Nabuze pasiporo yanjye
Hau hasai passport
Urashobora guhamagara hoteli yanjye?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Fasha!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nishimiye guhura nawe
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Reka dushyireho inama
Kita halo reunião
Ni ryari byakugendekera?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Dushobora kuvugana ejo?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hano
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Urakoze ku gihe cyawe
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ntegereje gukorana nawe
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Wansobanurira icyo kibazo?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Nzakugarukira
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.