Looking for practical Maori to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Maori 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 Maori 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.
Kia ora
Olá
Ngā mihi
Obrigadu
Ata mārie
Bondia
Pō mārie
Bona tarde
Pō nui
Bona noite
Nō reira
Bona noite
Ka kite anō
Ami hanesan
Haere rā
Adeus
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Quale naran ida?
Ko John tōku ingoa
Naran hau John.
Kei te pēhea koe?
Kona ba o?
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?
Keta fala Inglês?(kah korero koe ee teh reh-oh ingarihi)
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(kaore ow ee kah-raw pai ee teh reh-oh hindee)
Kaore au e mohio
Hau la hatene.(kaore ow ee moh-ee-oh)
Tena koa korero āta
Favor fala ba moris.(teh-nah koh-ah kah-raw-oh ah-tah)
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?
Keta bele fala fali?(kah tah-eh eh koh-eh teh kah-raw-oh ah-no)
Kei hea te wharepaku?
Onde mak banheira?(kay he-ah teh fah-reh-pah-koo)
Me pehea au e tae ki te pokapū o te tāone?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(meh peh-heh-ah ow eh tie keh teh poh-kah-poo oh teh tah-oh-neh)
Huri ki mauī
Virar ba hadau.(hoo-ree kee mow-ee)
Huri ki te taha matau
Virar ba direita.(hoo-ree kee teh tah-hah mah-tow)
Haere tika
Baa diretamente.(high-reh tee-kah)
E hia te utu?
Iha ne'e barak?(eh hee-ah teh oo-too)
Kotahi te tikiti, please
Ticket ida, favor.(koh-tah-hee teh tee-kee-tee)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(kay tah-whee-tee my ee koh-nay)
Kua ngaro au
Hau nune'e.(koo-ah nah-roh ow)
Kei hea e taea ai e au te hoko kāri SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(kay he-ah eh tah-eh ah-ee eh ow teh hoh-koh kah-ree sim)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Āe
Sim
Kāo
La
Tērā pea
Talvez
Kei te whakaae au
Hau hakarak
Kāore au e whakaae
Hau la hakarak
He pai tēnā
Nia mak diak
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
Hau precisa ajuda
Tēnā tūrua
Hakarak momentu
Aroha mai
Hau mós
Kāore he raru
La problema
Ngā mihi
Parabens
Hari huritau
Parabens ba aniversario
Kia pai te haerenga
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kei hea te teihana tereina?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Kei hea te pooti?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ko wai te papa?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
He aha te wa e wehe ai?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Kei te tika tēnei ara?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Kei konei tata mai
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Tū mai i konei, koa
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
E hia te wā e tango ana?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
E hia te utu o tēnei?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
He tino utu tēnā
Esa mak baratu demais.
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Fatu, por favor.
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Servisu iha ka?
He veggie ahau.
Hau vegetarian.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
He reka tēnei.
Esa mak saboru.
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Liga ba polícia
Karanga ki te āwhina
Liga ba ambulansia
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
Hau precisa doutor
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
Hau sente sick
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
E mamae ana i konei
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
I ngaro taku pasapo
Hau hasai passport
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Tautoko!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ka pai te kite i a koe
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Kita halo reunião
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Me hoki au ki a koe
Hau sei volta ba ita
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.