Looking for practical Mam to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam 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: pick five Tetum phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Mam 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.
Xo'j
Olá(sho'j)
Tz'ik
Obrigadu(tz'ik)
Xo'j nax
Bondia(sho'j nax)
Xo'j q'ij
Bona tarde(sho'j q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Bona noite(sho'j k'ux)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Bona noite(sho'j k'ux nax)
K'ux q'ij
Ami hanesan(k'ux q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Adeus(sho'j k'ux)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Quale naran ida?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Naran hau John.(ha' k'ux nax John)
Jach' k'ux?
Kona ba o?(hach' k'ux?)
Nab' k'ux
Diak ba halo ho o.(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Keta fala Inglês?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Hau la hatene.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Favor fala ba moris.
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Keta bele fala fali?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Onde mak banheira?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
K'utun k'ux.
Virar ba hadau.
K'utun k'ux.
Virar ba direita.
K'utun k'ux.
Baa diretamente.
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Iha ne'e barak?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Ticket ida, favor.
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Hau nune'e.
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Sim(hoo)
Man
La(mah)
K'ux
Talvez(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Hau hakarak(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Hau la hakarak(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Nia mak diak(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
Ita nian ideia sa?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
Mak bele ajuda hau?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Hau precisa ajuda(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Hakarak momentu(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Hau mós(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
La problema(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Parabens(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Parabens ba aniversario(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Hau haruka viagen diak(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Esa mak baratu demais.(K'ux ri' k'ulub'?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Fatu, por favor.(Ri' k'ulub', por favor)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Servisu iha ka?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Hau vegetarian.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Esa mak saboru.(K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Kopa agua, por favor.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxik la policía
Liga ba polícia
K'uxik un ambulancia
Liga ba ambulansia
Nek' a doctor
Hau precisa doutor
K'utun k'ax
Hau sente sick
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
Hau hasai passport
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
¡Ayuda!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(chee-k'oh chahb'eh)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
Kita halo reunião(kah-hee k'ah-wik ree kool-bahl)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(k'oot ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(een kah-hee ree kee-k'oh ch'eech')
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree kee-k'oh kahy)