Looking for practical Maltese to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Maltese 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: when a Tetum phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Maltese wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Maltese 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.
Ħello
Olá
Grazzi
Obrigadu
Bongu
Bondia
Bongu filgħaxija
Bona tarde
Il-lejl it-tajba
Bona noite
Il-lejl it-tajba
Bona noite
Naraw x'imkien
Ami hanesan
Addio
Adeus
X'jismek?
Quale naran ida?
Jien jisimni John
Naran hau John.
Kif inti?
Kona ba o?
Nice li niltaqgħu
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Titkellem bl-Ingliż?
Keta fala Inglês?
Ma nitkellimx sew il-Hindi.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Ma nifhimx.
Hau la hatene.
Jekk jogħġbok, itkellem bil-mod.
Favor fala ba moris.
Tista' tgħid dan mill-ġdid?
Keta bele fala fali?
Fejn hi l-banju?
Onde mak banheira?
Kif nista' naslu ċ-ċentru tal-belt?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Iċċaqlaq lemin.
Virar ba hadau.
Iċċaqlaq xellug.
Virar ba direita.
Mur dritt.
Baa diretamente.
Kemm hi l-prezz?
Iha ne'e barak?
Biljetta waħda, jekk jogħġbok.
Ticket ida, favor.
Huwa 'l bogħod minn hawn?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Jien mitluf.
Hau nune'e.
Fejn nista' nixtri SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Iva
Sim
Le
La
Forse
Talvez
Naqbel
Hau hakarak
Ma naqblux
Hau la hakarak
Dak jismu tajjeb
Nia mak diak
X'jidhrulek?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Tista' tgħinni?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Għandi bżonn għajnuna
Hau precisa ajuda
Staqsi ftit
Hakarak momentu
Jien skużani
Hau mós
L-ebda problema
La problema
Prosit
Parabens
Happy birthday
Parabens ba aniversario
Ikollok vjaġġ sikur
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Fejn hi l-istazzjon tal-ferrovija?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Fejn hi l-ħanut tal-linja?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Liema pjattaforma hi?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
X'ħin titlaq?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Hija din it-triq it-tajba?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Hija viċin hawn.
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Hija 'l bogħod minn hawn.
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Tista' turi lili fuq il-mappa?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Waqqaf hawn, jekk jogħġbok.
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kemm tieħu?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kemm jiswa dan?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Dak huwa wisq għali.
Esa mak baratu demais.
Għandek xi ħaġa iktar irħisa?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Nista' nħallas bil-karta?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Nixtieq mejda għal tnejn.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Il-kont, jekk jogħġbok.
Fatu, por favor.
Huwa servizz inkluż?
Servisu iha ka?
Jien veġetarjan.
Hau vegetarian.
Ebda ikel picanti, jekk jogħġbok.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Dan huwa delizzjuż.
Esa mak saboru.
Nista' nkun għandi l-menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Bott ta' ilma, jekk jogħġbok.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Iċċempel lill-pulizija
Liga ba polícia
Iċċempel ambulanza
Liga ba ambulansia
Għandi bżonn tabib
Hau precisa doutor
Inħossni morda
Hau sente sick
Jien allerġiku għall-ġammie
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Fejn hu l-isptar l-eqreb?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Iħossni hawn
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Ntlejt il-passaport tiegħi
Hau hasai passport
Tista' iċċempel l-lukanda tiegħi?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Għajnuna!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nice li niltaqgħu
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Ejja nippjanaw laqgħa
Kita halo reunião
Liema ħin jaħdem għalik?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Se nibgħat ir-rapport illum
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Nistgħu nitkellmu għada?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Jekk jogħġbok sib il-fajl imwaqqaf
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Grazzi għall-ħin tiegħek
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Nistenna bil-ħerqa li naħdem miegħek
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Tista' tikkjarifika dak il-punt?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Ħalli nirrivija lilek
Hau sei volta ba ita
Il-limitu huwa l-Ġimgħa
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.