Looking for practical Nuer to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Nuer 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 Nuer 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 Nuer 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.
Nhiar
Olá
Nyaak
Obrigadu
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Bondia
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Bona tarde
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Bona noite
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Bona noite
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Ami hanesan
Kɛ̈n
Adeus
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
Quale naran ida?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
Naran hau John.
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
Kona ba o?
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke nyin English?
Keta fala Inglês?
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Nyaac ma nyin.
Hau la hatene.
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
Favor fala ba moris.
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
Keta bele fala fali?
Yin thok a kɛl?
Onde mak banheira?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Virar ba hadau.
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Virar ba direita.
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Baa diretamente.
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
Iha ne'e barak?
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
Ticket ida, favor.
Yin ke nyin a thok?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Nyaac ke nyin.
Hau nune'e.
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Sim
Naa
La
Nyaak
Talvez
Nyeek a kech
Hau hakarak
Nyeek a kech naa
Hau la hakarak
Iye kech kɛl
Nia mak diak
Nyaak a kech?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Hau precisa ajuda
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Hakarak momentu
Nyeek a kech
Hau mós
Naa a kech kɛl
La problema
Aye kɛl
Parabens
Aye kɛl a wɛr
Parabens ba aniversario
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nyaak cɛl?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Kɛl yic kɛc
Esa mak baratu demais.(kel yich kech)
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(yin kel nyin chel)
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(nyaak ter kel kech)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl
Fatu, por favor.(nyaak chel kel bel)
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?
Servisu iha ka?(yin kel chel kel ter)
Nyaak cɛl wɛr
Hau vegetarian.(nyaak chel wer)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin
Esa mak saboru.(kel chel kel nyin)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(nyaak chel kel men)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt
Kopa agua, por favor.(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Cïl wïr
Liga ba polícia(cil wir)
Cïl an ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia(cil an ambulance)
Aŋ thïr a doctor
Hau precisa doutor(ang thir a doctor)
Aŋ kɔc
Hau sente sick(ang koc)
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït
Hau iha alergia ba karu(ang koc a piyit)
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(cit ken hospital)
Cïk bɛ̈t
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(cik bet)
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport
Hau hasai passport(ang ken passport)
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Kɛ̈n!
Help!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nyeu ke nyin
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(nyin = meet)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
Kita halo reunião
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
Hau sei volta ba ita
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.