Looking for practical Luganda to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda 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: read the Tetum line out loud three times, then cover the Luganda side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda 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.
Oli otya?
Olá(Oli otya?)
Webale
Obrigadu(Webale)
Osiibye otya?
Bondia(Osiibye otya?)
Osiibye bulungi?
Bona tarde(Osiibye bulungi?)
Osiibye otya?
Bona noite(Osiibye otya?)
Lwaki olugendo?
Bona noite(Lwaki olugendo?)
Tugenda kutya?
Ami hanesan(Tugenda kutya?)
Nkwagala
Adeus(Nkwagala)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Quale naran ida?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Naran hau John.(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Oli otya?
Kona ba o?(Oli otya?)
Nkwagala okukulaba
Diak ba halo ho o.(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Keta fala Inglês?
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Sijja kumanya.
Hau la hatene.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Favor fala ba moris.
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Keta bele fala fali?
Ekitanda kiki?
Onde mak banheira?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Genda ku kkono.
Virar ba hadau.
Genda ku mwoyo.
Virar ba direita.
Genda mu maaso.
Baa diretamente.
Ekitundu kiki?
Iha ne'e barak?
Ticket emu, please.
Ticket ida, favor.
Kiki kirekera wano?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ndi mu bubi.
Hau nune'e.
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ye
Sim
Nedda
La
Okwagala
Talvez
Nnaakuwandiika
Hau hakarak
Sikuwandiika
Hau la hakarak
Kyo kyekirungi
Nia mak diak
Otekayo ki?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Osobola okundabira?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Nfuna obuyambi
Hau precisa ajuda
Saba omukutu
Hakarak momentu
Nsaba
Hau mós
Tewali kibadde
La problema
Okwagaliza
Parabens
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Parabens ba aniversario
Genda bulungi
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ekitangaala ki?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Okwetegeka kwe?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Kiri wano wansi
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Kiri mangu
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Ggenda wano, please
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Tewali bungi ki?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kiki ky'ekitundu?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
Esa mak baratu demais.
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Ekitabo, please.
Fatu, por favor.
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Servisu iha ka?
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
Hau vegetarian.
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Ono mulungi.
Esa mak saboru.
Nneetaaga menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Mpozzi polisi
Liga ba polícia
Mpozzi ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Nfuna daktari
Hau precisa doutor
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
Hau sente sick
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Bikozesa wano
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Nfuuse passport yange
Hau hasai passport
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Mbadde!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nkwagala okubaako
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(Nkwagala okubaako)
Tugende mu nteekateeka
Kita halo reunião(Tugende mu nteekateeka)
Okwesiga ki?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(Okwesiga ki?)
Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)
Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)