Looking for practical Sesotho to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho 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: read the Tetum line out loud three times, then cover the Sesotho side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sesotho 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.
Lumelang
Olá
Kea leboha
Obrigadu
Dumelang
Bondia
Molo
Bona tarde
Dumelang
Bona noite
Borai
Bona noite
Re tla kopana hamorao
Ami hanesan
Tsamaya hantle
Adeus
O na le lebitso lefe?
Quale naran ida?
Lebitso la ka ke John
Naran hau John.
O kae?
Kona ba o?
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Keta fala Inglês?
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Hau la hatene.
Ka kopo bua butle
Favor fala ba moris.
Na u ka boela ua re?
Keta bele fala fali?
Ntloana e kae?
Onde mak banheira?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Virar ba hadau.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Virar ba direita.
Eya ka pela
Baa diretamente.
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Iha ne'e barak?
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Ticket ida, favor.
Na e hole le mona?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ke lahlehile
Hau nune'e.
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Sim
Che
La
Mohlomong
Talvez
Ke lumela
Hau hakarak
Ke sitwa
Hau la hakarak
Seo se utloahala hantle
Nia mak diak
O nahana eng?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Na o ka nthusa?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ke hloka thuso
Hau precisa ajuda
Emisa motsotso
Hakarak momentu
Ke maswabi
Hau mós
Ha ho bothata
La problema
O amohelehile
Parabens
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Parabens ba aniversario
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Ke kae borai?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Nako e kae e tlohang?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
E haufi le mona
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
E hole le mona
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Emisa mona, ka kopo
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
E nka nako e kae?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Se kostang hakaale?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Seo ke se theko e phahameng
Esa mak baratu demais.(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Na nka lefa ka kharete?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Bille, ka kopo
Fatu, por favor.(bille, ka kopo)
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?
Servisu iha ka?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Ke moithuti oa meroho
Hau vegetarian.(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Se monate
Esa mak saboru.(se monate)
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo
Kopa agua, por favor.(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Calla mapolesa
Liga ba polícia
Calla ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Ke hloka ngaka
Hau precisa doutor
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Hau sente sick
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Ho bohloko mona
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Hau hasai passport
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Thusa!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
A re etse kopano
Kita halo reunião
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
A ke tle ke u boele
Hau sei volta ba ita
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.