Looking for practical Susu to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Susu 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 Susu 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 Susu 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.
N'ko
Olá(n'ko)
A dɔɔ
Obrigadu(a doo)
N'ko fɔ
Bondia(n'ko fo)
N'ko kɛ
Bona tarde(n'ko ke)
N'ko sɔ
Bona noite(n'ko so)
N'ko tɔ
Bona noite(n'ko to)
N'ko jɛ
Ami hanesan(n'ko je)
N'ko fɔlɔ
Adeus(n'ko foloo)
I bɛ n'ko?
Quale naran ida?(i be n'ko)
N'ko yɛ John
Naran hau John.(n'ko ye John)
I bɛ fɔ?
Kona ba o?(i be fo)
N'ko tɔɔ fɔ
Diak ba halo ho o.(n'ko too fo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nye na fɔlɔ English?
Keta fala Inglês?
Nye na fɔlɔ Hindi kɛlɛ.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Nye na bɔ fɔ.
Hau la hatene.
Bɔ fɔ kɛlɛ.
Favor fala ba moris.
Nye na bɔ fɔ kɛ?
Keta bele fala fali?
Bɔ fɔ nɛ bɔrɔ?
Onde mak banheira?
Nye na bɔ fɔ kɛ nɛn?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Bɔ fɔ kɛ.
Virar ba hadau.
Bɔ fɔ bɔ.
Virar ba direita.
Bɔ fɔ kɛ.
Baa diretamente.
Fɔlɔ kɛ nɛn?
Iha ne'e barak?
Nye na fɔlɔ kɛ.
Ticket ida, favor.
Nɛn fɔ nɛ?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Nye na bɔ.
Hau nune'e.
Bɔ fɔ nɛ SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Iye
Sim
Ala
La
Bokono
Talvez
Maa fɔ
Hau hakarak
Maa nɔ fɔ
Hau la hakarak
Iye, e fɛ
Nia mak diak
Nye na i fɔ?
Ita nian ideia sa?
I na fɔ mɔ?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Maa na fɔ mɔ
Hau precisa ajuda
Fɔlɔ a yɛn
Hakarak momentu
Maa sɔrɛ
Hau mós
Ala fɔlɔ
La problema
Ala fɔ i
Parabens
Bɔkɔ fɛ i
Parabens ba aniversario
I na yɛn fɛ fɔlɔ
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Nin na kɛlɛ fɔlɔ?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Nin na bɔs fɔlɔ?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Nin na fɔlɔ kɛ?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Nin na kɛlɛ fɔlɔ kɛ?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
I na kɛ lɔ?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
I na kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
I na bɔ fɔlɔ
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
I na fɔlɔ ma mi na kɛ?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Bɔ fɔlɔ, plis
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Nin na kɛlɛ bɔ?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nda fɔlɔ nɛn?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
I nɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ
Esa mak baratu demais.(I nɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ)
A fɔlɔ kɛlɛ nɛn?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(A fɔlɔ kɛlɛ nɛn)
Nda bɛ kɔrɔ?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(nda bɛ kɔrɔ)
Mɛ fɔlɔ kɛ nɛ bɔ
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(Mɛ fɔlɔ kɛ nɛ bɔ)
Fɔlɔ, jɛlɛ
Fatu, por favor.(Fɔlɔ, jɛlɛ)
Sɛrvi sɔrɔ kɛ?
Servisu iha ka?(Sɛrvi sɔrɔ kɛ)
Mɛ nɛ vegeterian
Hau vegetarian.(Mɛ nɛ vegeterian)
Nda kɛlɛ fɔlɔ, jɛlɛ
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(Nda kɛlɛ fɔlɔ, jɛlɛ)
I nɛ dɛgɛ
Esa mak saboru.(I nɛ dɛgɛ)
Nda bɛ menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(nda bɛ menu)
Jɛlɛ bɔkɔ fɔlɔ
Kopa agua, por favor.(Jɛlɛ bɔkɔ fɔlɔ)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fɔlɔ fɔlɔ
Liga ba polícia(fɔlɔ fɔlɔ)
Fɔlɔ ambilans
Liga ba ambulansia(fɔlɔ ambilans)
Mɛ fɔlɔ dɔktɛ
Hau precisa doutor(mɛ fɔlɔ dɔktɛ)
Mɛ fɛlɛ siki
Hau sente sick(mɛ fɛlɛ siki)
Mɛ ni alɛjɛrɛk to pɛnut
Hau iha alergia ba karu(mɛ ni alɛjɛrɛk to pɛnut)
Wɛrɛ nɛ hɔspital?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?(wɛrɛ nɛ hɔspital?)
I tɔtɔ hɛrɛ
Ita hakarak iha ne'e(i tɔtɔ hɛrɛ)
Mɛ lɔs ma pɛspɔt
Hau hasai passport(mɛ lɔs ma pɛspɔt)
Kɛn yu fɔlɔ ma hɔtɛl?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?(kɛn yu fɔlɔ ma hɔtɛl?)
Hɛlp!
Help!(hɛlp!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
A ni fɔlɛn
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita(a ni fo-len)
A yɛn fɔlɛn bɔ
Kita halo reunião(a yen fo-len bo)
Kɛ jɛn bɔ fɔlɛn?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?(ke yen bo fo-len)
Mɛ bɔ report nɛ
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona(me bo report ne)
A yɛn bɔ nɛ fɔlɛn?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?(a yen bo ne fo-len)
Bɔ bɛ file nɛ
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha(bo be file ne)
A yɛn fɔlɛn nɛ
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu(a yen fo-len ne)
Mɛ fɔlɛn bɔ a
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita(me fo-len bo a)
A bɛ fɔlɛn kɛ?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?(a be fo-len ke)
A yɛn bɔ fɔlɛn
Hau sei volta ba ita(a yen bo fo-len)
Deadline nɛ Friday
Prazo mak sexta-feira(deadline ne Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.