Looking for practical Marshallese to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Marshallese 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 Marshallese 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.
Yokwe
Olá(yoh-kweh)
Komol tata
Obrigadu(koh-mol tah-tah)
Yokwe in the morning
Bondia(yoh-kweh in the morning)
Yokwe in the afternoon
Bona tarde(yoh-kweh in the afternoon)
Yokwe in the evening
Bona noite(yoh-kweh in the evening)
Yokwe in the night
Bona noite(yoh-kweh in the night)
Aolep in
Ami hanesan(ah-oh-lep in)
Aolep
Adeus(ah-oh-lep)
Ejjab in name?
Quale naran ida?(eh-jahb in name)
Ejjab in John
Naran hau John.(eh-jahb in John)
Iakwe?
Kona ba o?(ee-ah-kweh)
Ejjab in an
Diak ba halo ho o.(eh-jahb in an)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ijo im jab in English?
Keta fala Inglês?(Ijo im jab in English?)
Ej jab in Hindi bwe enaj
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(Ej jab in Hindi bwe enaj)
Ej jab in jorren
Hau la hatene.(Ej jab in jorren)
Jab in jorren bwe enaj
Favor fala ba moris.(Jab in jorren bwe enaj)
Ejjab in jorren an?
Keta bele fala fali?(Ejjab in jorren an?)
Ejjab in wōt ian?
Onde mak banheira?(Ejjab in wōt ian?)
Ejjab in jorren eok wōt?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(Ejjab in jorren eok wōt?)
Jab in jorren jān
Virar ba hadau.(Jab in jorren jān)
Jab in jorren jān
Virar ba direita.(Jab in jorren jān)
Jab in jorren wōt
Baa diretamente.(Jab in jorren wōt)
Ejjab in jorren eok?
Iha ne'e barak?(Ejjab in jorren eok?)
Jab in ticket, please
Ticket ida, favor.(Jab in ticket, please)
Ejjab in jorren eok?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(Ejjab in jorren eok?)
Ej jab in jorren
Hau nune'e.(Ej jab in jorren)
Ejjab in wōt in SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(Ejjab in wōt in SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ejjab
Sim
Aolep
La
Ejjab im aolep
Talvez
Ejjab im an
Hau hakarak
Aolep im an
Hau la hakarak
Ejjab in aolep
Nia mak diak
Nin in ke ejjake?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Ien ke eja in?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Enaaj ejjake
Hau precisa ajuda
Jab in
Hakarak momentu
Ejjab in jorren
Hau mós
Aolep in jorren
La problema
Bwij in jorren
Parabens
Yokwe in jorren
Parabens ba aniversario
Jab in ad jorren
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Enaaj im jab in train?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Enaaj im jab in bus?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Iakwe im jab in platform?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Nin in kijen?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Enaaj in jiban?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Enaaj jikin in?
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Enaaj jikin in jikin?
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Enaaj im jab in map?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Jab in jikin, please
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Enaaj im jab in jikin?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Enaaj im jab?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Ej juon im jab.
Esa mak baratu demais.
Enaaj im jab aolep?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Enaaj im jipan eñ?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Enaaj im jipan table roñ.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Enaaj im jipan bill.
Fatu, por favor.
Enaaj im jab service?
Servisu iha ka?
Ej im vegetarian.
Hau vegetarian.
Enaaj im jab spicy food.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Ej ej jab.
Esa mak saboru.
Enaaj im jipan menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Enaaj im jipan glass wōt.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kōmmani ian jān
Liga ba polícia(kōmmani ian jān)
Kōmmani ian ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia(kōmmani ian ambulance)
Ej jekōn doctor
Hau precisa doutor(ej jekōn doctor)
Ej jekūn
Hau sente sick(ej jekūn)
Ej jekūn jab in jekōn
Hau iha alergia ba karu(ej jekūn jab in jekōn)
Ejjab jān hospital in jān?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(ejjab jān hospital in jān?)
Ej jekūn in
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(ej jekūn in)
Ej jekūn passport
Hau hasai passport(ej jekūn passport)
Ijjab kōmmani ian hotel in?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(ijjab kōmmani ian hotel in?)
Jab!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ij jorren in
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(I am glad to meet you)
Kij in jorren eok
Kita halo reunião(Let's arrange a meeting)
Ejjab in jorren?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(What time is good for you?)
Ej jekar in report an
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(I will send the report today)
Ejjab in jorren ak jorren?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(Can we talk tomorrow?)
Jab in jorren eok file an
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(Please see the attached file)
Komol tata in jorren
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(Thank you for your time)
Ij jorren in jab in jorren
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(I look forward to working with you)
Ejjab in jorren eok?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(Can you clarify that point?)
Kij in jorren eok
Hau sei volta ba ita(Let me return to you)
Ejjab in jorren Friday
Prazo mak sexta-feira(The deadline is Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.