Looking for practical Sami North to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sami North 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 Sami North 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.
Bures
Olá(bures)
Giitu
Obrigadu(giitu)
Buorre eahket
Bondia(buorre eahket)
Buorre beaivi
Bona tarde(buorre beaivi)
Buorre iđit
Bona noite(buorre iđit)
Buorre natti
Bona noite(buorre natti)
Bures boahtin
Ami hanesan(bures boahtin)
Ráhkisvuohta
Adeus(ráhkisvuohta)
Mii du namma lea?
Quale naran ida?(mii du namma lea)
Mun namma lea John
Naran hau John.(mun namma lea John)
Gii du lea?
Kona ba o?(gii du lea)
Bures boahtin
Diak ba halo ho o.(bures boahtin)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Don leat englalaš?
Keta fala Inglês?(Don leat englalaš?)
Mun in lea hindi gohčodaga
Hau la fala Hindi diak.(Mun in lea hindi gohčodaga)
Mun in boahtte
Hau la hatene.(Mun in boahtte)
Váldde čáhkkáldat
Favor fala ba moris.(Váldde čáhkkáldat)
Várra gohččat dán again?
Keta bele fala fali?(Várra gohččat dán again?)
Gii lea báhkkis?
Onde mak banheira?(Gii lea báhkkis?)
Mii lea muohta gávdno?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?(Mii lea muohta gávdno?)
Váldde oassal
Virar ba hadau.(Váldde oassal)
Váldde dehálaš
Virar ba direita.(Váldde dehálaš)
Geahččat suohkan
Baa diretamente.(Geahččat suohkan)
Mii lea gávdno?
Iha ne'e barak?(Mii lea gávdno?)
Okta billeta, please
Ticket ida, favor.(Okta billeta, please)
Lea dat láhka da?
Iha ne'e laran ka?(Lea dat láhka da?)
Mun lean bohtos
Hau nune'e.(Mun lean bohtos)
Gii lea muohta SIM-kortta?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?(Gii lea muohta SIM-kortta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ja
Sim
Ii
La
Mii
Talvez
Mun ođđa
Hau hakarak
Mun ii ođđa
Hau la hakarak
Dasa lea buorre
Nia mak diak
Mii du váldde?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Sii mii geahččat mu?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Mun háliid geahččat
Hau precisa ajuda
Váldde ieš
Hakarak momentu
Mun lea áibbas
Hau mós
Ii proplema
La problema
Báhkkus
Parabens
Buorre álbmotbeivvi
Parabens ba aniversario
Váldde beaivvi buorre
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Mii lea raššabáikkit?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Mii lea bussibaikkit?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Mii platforma lea?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Mii dihte lea?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Lea dehálaš vejola?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Dat lea njuolga
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Dat lea muohta
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Sii máhcá muohta?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Dán, please
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Mii lea áibbas?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mii lea gohčodit?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Dát lea muhtun dearvvaš
Esa mak baratu demais.(daːt leːa muːtʊn deːarvaʃ)
Don leat geahččat muhtun?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(dɔn leːat ɡeːaʧːat muːtʊn)
Sii mun sáhte ákkis?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(siː mun sɑːhte ˈɑkːis)
Mun háliidan duohken guovttos
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(mun ˈhɑːliːdɑn ˈduoːhken ˈɡuovttos)
Bille, please
Fatu, por favor.(ˈbɪlle pleːz)
Lea servihkka gohčodaga?
Servisu iha ka?(leːa ˈservihkːa ˈɡoːhːtʊɡɑ)
Mun lean veahkki
Hau vegetarian.(mun leːan ˈveːhki)
Ihkká muhtun mat
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(ˈihkːɑ muːtʊn mɑt)
Dát lea njuolggad
Esa mak saboru.(daːt leːa ˈnjuolɡːɑd)
Sii mun sáhte menuhit?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(siː mun sɑːhte ˈmeːnuːhɪt)
Vátta, please
Kopa agua, por favor.(ˈvɑːttɑ pleːz)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Soažžat poliija
Liga ba polícia
Soažžat ambulánsa
Liga ba ambulansia
Mii dušše doktara
Hau precisa doutor
Mii lea vuordde
Hau sente sick
Mii lean allergalaš maŋŋebárga
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Gii lea najdduhaš sávkkas?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Dát lea gárttá
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Mii lea váldde mu passu
Hau hasai passport
Sii sáhte soažžat mu hotellii?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Hjálp!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Buerie bisseha
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(buerie bisseha)
Mii dárbbašat dohkkehuvvan
Kita halo reunião(mii dárbbašat dohkkehuvvan)
Mii čuovgga leat du?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Mun sendá reportta ihttin
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Mii sáhte gohččat ovttas?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Dárbbašat fálla geavahuvvan
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Giitu du máŋga
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Mun geahččat dohkkehuvvan du
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Sáhte du geahččat dán áiggi?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Mii dárbbašat geahččat du
Hau sei volta ba ita
Dáhpáhusa lea friddjá
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.