Looking for practical Swahili to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili 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 Swahili 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 Swahili 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.
Habari
Olá
Asante
Obrigadu
Habari ya asubuhi
Bondia
Habari ya mchana
Bona tarde
Habari ya jioni
Bona noite
Usiku mwema
Bona noite
Tutaonana baadaye
Ami hanesan
Kwaheri
Adeus
Jina lako nani?
Quale naran ida?
Jina langu ni John
Naran hau John.
Habari gani?
Kona ba o?
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Keta fala Inglês?
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Sielewi.
Hau la hatene.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Favor fala ba moris.
Unaweza kusema tena?
Keta bele fala fali?
Choo kiko wapi?
Onde mak banheira?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Geuka kushoto.
Virar ba hadau.
Geuka kulia.
Virar ba direita.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Baa diretamente.
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Iha ne'e barak?
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Ticket ida, favor.
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Nimepotea.
Hau nune'e.
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ndio
Sim
Hapana
La
Pengine
Talvez
Ninakubaliana
Hau hakarak
Sikubaliani
Hau la hakarak
Inasikika vizuri
Nia mak diak
Unafikiriaje?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Nahitaji msaada
Hau precisa ajuda
Subiri kidogo
Hakarak momentu
Ninasikitika
Hau mós
Hakuna shida
La problema
Hongera
Parabens
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Parabens ba aniversario
Safari njema
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ni jukwaa gani?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Iko karibu hapa
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Iko mbali na hapa
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Inachukua muda gani?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Esa mak baratu demais.
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Tafadhali, bili
Fatu, por favor.
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Servisu iha ka?
Mimi ni mboga
Hau vegetarian.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Hii ni tamu
Esa mak saboru.
Naweza kupata menyu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Piga simu polisi
Liga ba polícia
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Liga ba ambulansia
Nahitaji daktari
Hau precisa doutor
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Hau sente sick
Nina mzio wa karanga
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Inaniuma hapa
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Hau hasai passport
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Nisaidie!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Tuweke mkutano
Kita halo reunião
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Asante kwa muda wako
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Nitarudi kwako
Hau sei volta ba ita
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.