Looking for practical Lingala to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala 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 Lingala 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
Melesi
Obrigadu
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
Bondia
Mbote na ntango ya midi
Bona tarde
Mbote na ntango ya soir
Bona noite
Malamu na butu
Bona noite
Tala yo nsima
Ami hanesan
Kende malamu
Adeus
Nkombo na yo nani?
Quale naran ida?
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
Naran hau John.
Ozalaki malamu?
Kona ba o?
Nayoki malamu na yo
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
Keta fala Inglês?(ozali koloba lingala)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(nasalaka hindi malamu te)
Nalingi te
Hau la hatene.(nalingi te)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Favor fala ba moris.(koloba butu)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
Keta bele fala fali?(okoki koloba yango lisusu)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Onde mak banheira?(bato ya nzoto)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(nakokende na centre)
Tika na mobali
Virar ba hadau.(tika na mobali)
Tika na mwasi
Virar ba direita.(tika na mwasi)
Kende na ntango
Baa diretamente.(kende na ntango)
Mbala nini ezali?
Iha ne'e barak?(mbala nini)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Ticket ida, favor.(billet moko)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(ezali na esika ya mbali)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
Hau nune'e.(nazali na esika ya mabe)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(nakokota SIM card)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Oyo
Sim
Te
La
Soki
Talvez
Nalingi
Hau hakarak
Nalingi te
Hau la hakarak
Eza malamu
Nia mak diak
Oyo olingi nini?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
Hau precisa ajuda
Sunga moke
Hakarak momentu
Nasalaki mabe
Hau mós
Nani azali na problème
La problema
Mokolo malamu
Parabens
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
Parabens ba aniversario
Zala na nzela ya malamu
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Eko zali na esika nini?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Ezali pene awa.
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Ezali mbali awa.
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Ekozala ntango nini?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
Esa mak baratu demais.
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Fatu, por favor.
Service eza na kati?
Servisu iha ka?
Nazali mvegetarian.
Hau vegetarian.
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Yango ezali malamu.
Esa mak saboru.
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tindá polisi
Liga ba polícia
Tindá ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Nalingi médecin
Hau precisa doutor
Nazali na maladi
Hau sente sick
Nazali na allergie na mbala
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Ezalaka na nse awa
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Nazwi passport na ngai
Hau hasai passport
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
S.O.S!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Tika tozala na mitema
Kita halo reunião
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Naboya raport lelo
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Tango tozali na mposo?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Nasalela yo na mosala
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Napesi yo nzela
Hau sei volta ba ita
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.