Looking for practical Swati to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swati 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 Swati 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 Swati 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.
Sawubona
Olá
Ngiyabonga
Obrigadu
Siyaphila
Bondia
Siyaphila
Bona tarde
Siyaphila
Bona noite
Lalani kahle
Bona noite
Sizobonana
Ami hanesan
Hamba kahle
Adeus
Ubani igama lakho?
Quale naran ida?
Igama lami nguJohn
Naran hau John.
Unjani?
Kona ba o?
Kuhle ukuhlangana nawe
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ukhuluma ngesiNgisi?
Keta fala Inglês?
Angikhulumi kahle ngesiHindi.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Angiqondi.
Hau la hatene.
Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.
Favor fala ba moris.
Ungakuphindze lokho?
Keta bele fala fali?
Iphi indlu yangasese?
Onde mak banheira?
Ngiyawufika kanjani emkhatsini?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Phendukela kwesobunxele.
Virar ba hadau.
Phendukela kwesokudla.
Virar ba direita.
Hamba phambili.
Baa diretamente.
Kubiza malini?
Iha ne'e barak?
Ithikithi linye, ngiyacela.
Ticket ida, favor.
Kude lapha?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ngilahlekile.
Hau nune'e.
Ngingathenga kuphi ikhadi le-SIM?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yebo
Sim
Cha
La
Mhlawumbe
Talvez
Ngiyavuma
Hau hakarak
Ngiyaphikisa
Hau la hakarak
Lokho kuhle
Nia mak diak
Ucabanga ukuthini?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Ungangisiza?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ngidinga usizo
Hau precisa ajuda
Linda umzuzu
Hakarak momentu
Ngiyaxolisa
Hau mós
Akukho nkinga
La problema
Siyabonga
Parabens
Siyavuma usuku lokuzalwa
Parabens ba aniversario
Uhambe kahle
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kuphi isiteshi sebhasi?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Kuphi umphakatsi webhasi?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Iyiphi i-platform?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Ngasiphi isikhathi iyahamba?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Ngabe le yindlela efanele?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Kusondela lapha
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Kude lapha
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Ungangikhombisa emmaphweni?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Misa lapha, ngiyacela
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kuthathe isikhathi esingaki?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kubiza malini le?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Lokhu kubiza kakhulu
Esa mak baratu demais.(lo-khu ku-bi-za ka-khulu)
Unayo yini leyo ephansi?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(u-na-yo yi-ni le-yo e-phan-si)
Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(ngi-ya-kwa-zi u-ku-kho-kha nge-kha-di)
Ngithanda itafula lababili
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(ngi-than-da i-ta-fu-la la-ba-bi-li)
Ibhili, ngiyacela
Fatu, por favor.(i-bhi-li ngi-ya-ce-la)
Inkonzo ibhajetwe?
Servisu iha ka?(in-kon-zo i-bha-je-twe)
Ngiyi-vegetarian
Hau vegetarian.(ngi-yi-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)
Akukho ukudla okushisayo, ngiyacela
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(a-ku-kho u-ku-dla o-ku-shi-sa-yo ngi-ya-ce-la)
Lokhu kuhle
Esa mak saboru.(lo-khu ku-hle)
Ngicela imenyu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(ngi-ce-la i-me-nu)
Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela
Kopa agua, por favor.(in-gi-la-zi ya-man-zi ngi-ya-ce-la)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Biza emaphoyisa
Liga ba polícia
Biza i-ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Ngidinga udokotela
Hau precisa doutor
Ngizizwa ngigula
Hau sente sick
Ngiyavuma emantongomane
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Kuphi esibhedlela esiseduze?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Kukhala lapha
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami
Hau hasai passport
Ungabiza ihhotela yami?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Siza!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Kuhle kukuhlangana nawe
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Masihlele umhlangano
Kita halo reunião
Yini isikhathi esikufanele?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Singakhuluma kusasa?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Sicela uthole ifayela elihlanganisiwe
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Ngiyabonga ngesikhathi sakho
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ngilindele ukusebenza nawe
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Ungacacisa le ndaba?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Ngizobuyela kuwe
Hau sei volta ba ita
Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.