Looking for practical Tetum to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Acholi translation (Acholi) — 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 Acholi.
Tip: read the Acholi line out loud three times, then cover the Tetum 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 Tetum to Acholi 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.
Olá
Ayo(ah-yo)
Obrigadu
Naki(nah-kee)
Bondia
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Bona tarde
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Bona noite
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Bona noite
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Ami hanesan
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Adeus
Itye(ee-tye)
Quale naran ida?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Naran hau John.
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Kona ba o?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Diak ba halo ho o.
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Itye konyo English?
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Hau la hatene.
Nye neno.
Favor fala ba moris.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Keta bele fala fali?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Onde mak banheira?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Virar ba hadau.
Konyo kuc.
Virar ba direita.
Konyo kuc.
Baa diretamente.
Tye kanyim.
Iha ne'e barak?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ticket ida, favor.
One ticket, please.
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Hau nune'e.
Nye konyo.
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Aye
La
Bila
Talvez
Kweyo
Hau hakarak
Ng'ato konyo
Hau la hakarak
Ng'ato konyo ni
Nia mak diak
Okwero kany
Ita nian ideia sa?
Ika kany?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ikwok kany?
Hau precisa ajuda
Ng'ato konyo kany
Hakarak momentu
Tye kany
Hau mós
Ng'ato konyo
La problema
Bila kany
Parabens
Tye kany
Parabens ba aniversario
Aye konyo
Hau haruka viagen diak
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Hora ne'e sai?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Iha ne'e perto
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Iha ne'e laran
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Kona ba mapa?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Kona tempu hira?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Fatu, por favor.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Servisu iha ka?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Hau vegetarian.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Esa mak saboru.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Kopa agua, por favor.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Yat ma police
Liga ba ambulansia
Yat ma ambulance
Hau precisa doutor
Nye konyo doctor
Hau sente sick
Nye konyo wot
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Nye konyo kany kic
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Okwero ineno
Hau hasai passport
Nye tye konyo passport
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Help!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Kita halo reunião
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Hau sei volta ba ita
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.