Looking for practical Qeqchi to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Qeqchi 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 Qeqchi 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.
Sa'qi
Olá(sah-kee)
Uxlab'äl
Obrigadu(ook-lah-bahl)
Sa'qi k'ay
Bondia(sah-kee kay)
Sa'qi k'ik'
Bona tarde(sah-kee keek)
Sa'qi k'ux
Bona noite(sah-kee koosh)
Sa'qi k'ik' k'ux
Bona noite(sah-kee keek koosh)
K'ux k'ik'
Ami hanesan(koosh keek)
K'ux
Adeus(koosh)
Jach'och' k'ut?
Quale naran ida?(ha-choch kut)
In k'ut John
Naran hau John.(een koot John)
K'ut k'ax?
Kona ba o?(kut k'ash)
K'ax k'ut k'ux
Diak ba halo ho o.(kash kut koosh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿Ruk'uxik in English?
Keta fala Inglês?
Nuk'uxik Hindi man k'utun.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Nuk'uxik k'utun.
Hau la hatene.
Por favor, ruk'uxik k'utun k'ay.
Favor fala ba moris.
¿Ruk'uxik k'utun k'ay?
Keta bele fala fali?
¿Ja' ri k'utun?
Onde mak banheira?
¿Jas ri k'utun k'ay ri k'ay?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
K'utun ri k'ay.
Virar ba hadau.
K'utun ri k'ay.
Virar ba direita.
K'utun k'ay.
Baa diretamente.
¿Ja' ri k'utun?
Iha ne'e barak?
K'utun ri k'ay.
Ticket ida, favor.
¿Ja' ri k'utun?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Nuk'uxik k'utun.
Hau nune'e.
¿Ja' ri k'utun ri SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ja'
Sim
Nok
La
K'a riq
Talvez
In k'ut
Hau hakarak
In k'ut nok
Hau la hakarak
K'ut in k'ut
Nia mak diak
¿Ja' k'ut in k'ut?
Ita nian ideia sa?
¿K'ax k'ut in k'uch?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
In k'uch k'ax
Hau precisa ajuda
K'ut k'ax riq
Hakarak momentu
In k'ut k'ax
Hau mós
Nok k'ut
La problema
K'ut in k'ut riq
Parabens
K'ut in k'ut k'uch
Parabens ba aniversario
K'ut in k'ut riq k'uch
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Ja' k'utun ri tren?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
¿Ja' k'utun ri bus?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
¿K'utun ri platform?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
¿Jas k'utun ri?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
¿¿¿K'utun ri k'ax?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Ri k'utun k'utun
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Ri k'utun k'ax
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
¿Jas k'utun ri mapa?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
¿K'utun ri, por favor?
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
¿Jas k'utun ri?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'utun ri'?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
K'utun ri' k'utun ch'ich'
Esa mak baratu demais.(K'utun ri' k'utun ch'ich')
¿Ruk'ux ri' k'utun ch'ich'?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(¿Ruk'ux ri' k'utun ch'ich'?)
¿K'utun ri' k'utun rax?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(¿K'utun ri' k'utun rax?)
In k'utun ri' k'ax ri' ch'och'
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(In k'utun ri' k'ax ri' ch'och')
Ri' k'utun, por favor
Fatu, por favor.(Ri' k'utun, por favor)
¿Ri' k'utun ch'ich'?
Servisu iha ka?(¿Ri' k'utun ch'ich'?)
In k'utun ri' vegetarian
Hau vegetarian.(In k'utun ri' vegetarian)
Man k'utun ri' ch'ich', por favor
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(Man k'utun ri' ch'ich', por favor)
K'utun ri' ch'ich'
Esa mak saboru.(K'utun ri' ch'ich')
¿K'utun ri' k'utun menú?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(¿K'utun ri' k'utun menú?)
Ri' k'utun k'ay, por favor
Kopa agua, por favor.(Ri' k'utun k'ay, por favor)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxi' ri policía
Liga ba polícia
K'uxi' ri ambulancia
Liga ba ambulansia
In k'utun ri médico
Hau precisa doutor
In k'utun ri k'ax
Hau sente sick
In k'utun ri k'ik'
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Ja ri hospital k'utun?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
K'ax ri' k'ot
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
In k'utun ri pasaporte
Hau hasai passport
¿K'uxi' ri hotel in?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Ayuda!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' xk'utun ri' k'axk'ux
Kita halo reunião(K'utun ri' xk'utun ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' k'utun k'axk'ux?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(K'utun ri' k'utun k'axk'ux?)
K'utun ri' k'utun k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(K'utun ri' k'utun k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux)
K'utun ri' k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(K'utun ri' k'axk'ux ri' k'axk'ux?)