Looking for practical Tetum to Ewe phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Ewe translation (Ewe) — 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 Ewe.
Tip: read the Ewe 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 Ewe 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
Woezɔ(woezo)
Obrigadu
Medɔ wo(medo wo)
Bondia
Mɛkpɔ(mekpo)
Bona tarde
Mɛkpɔ ɖe(mekpo de)
Bona noite
Mɛkpɔ ɖeɖe(mekpo dede)
Bona noite
Mɛkpɔ ɖekakpɔ(mekpo deka)
Ami hanesan
Nɔ ɖe(no de)
Adeus
Nɔ agbe(no agbe)
Quale naran ida?
Nɔ ɖe ɖe?(no de de)
Naran hau John.
Mawu ɖe John(mawu de John)
Kona ba o?
Nɔ ɖe wò?(no de wo)
Diak ba halo ho o.
Mekɔ wò ɖe(meko wo de)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Wòkpɔ̃ ŋlɔ̃ɖi?(Wokpɔ̃ nglondi?)
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Mèkpɔ Hindi aɖe o.
Hau la hatene.
Mènyɔ ŋu.
Favor fala ba moris.
Mèkpɔ ɖeɖe.
Keta bele fala fali?
Wòkpɔ ɖe ƒe ŋkɔ?
Onde mak banheira?
Esi wòle ɖe akɔ?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Mèkpɔ ɖe ŋkɔ ƒe akɔ?
Virar ba hadau.
Kɔ ɖe ƒe.
Virar ba direita.
Kɔ ɖe aɖe.
Baa diretamente.
Kɔ gɔme.
Iha ne'e barak?
Nye ɖe ɖe?
Ticket ida, favor.
Mèkpɔ ɖe ɖe aɖe.
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Esi wòle ɖe aɖe?
Hau nune'e.
Mèkpɔ ɖe.
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Esi wòle ɖe aɖe SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Yoo
La
Ayi
Talvez
Mekɔ
Hau hakarak
Mekɔ nyuie
Hau la hakarak
Mekɔ nyuie o
Nia mak diak
Eyi yɛ fɛ
Ita nian ideia sa?
Nukɔmɔ na wò?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Wobɛtɔ m'ahɔ?
Hau precisa ajuda
Mɛhia m'ahɔ
Hakarak momentu
Tɔ nyuie
Hau mós
Mepa wo kyɛw
La problema
Nya abɔdɔ
Parabens
Meda wo akye
Parabens ba aniversario
Mema wo da a yɛ fɛ
Hau haruka viagen diak
Kɔ na ɔdɔm
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Wòle nu vɔ̃ ŋkɔmɛ?(Wòle nu vɔ̃ ŋkɔmɛ?)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Wòle nu vɔ̃ bus stop?(Wòle nu vɔ̃ bus stop?)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Né wòle platform a?(Né wòle platform a?)
Hora ne'e sai?
Né wòle ɖe ɖe?(Né wòle ɖe ɖe?)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Eyi ne ɖe ɖe?(Eyi ne ɖe ɖe?)
Iha ne'e perto
Eyi ne ɖe ɖe ɖe?(Eyi ne ɖe ɖe ɖe?)
Iha ne'e laran
Eyi ne ɖe ɖe ɖe?(Eyi ne ɖe ɖe ɖe?)
Kona ba mapa?
Wòle mɔ kpɔ ɖe map?(Wòle mɔ kpɔ ɖe map?)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Mèkpɔ ɖe, meda?(Mèkpɔ ɖe, meda?)
Kona tempu hira?
Né wòle ɖe ɖe?(Né wòle ɖe ɖe?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Esi le nu si?(esi le nu si?)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Eyi yɛ dɔɔdɔ.
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Wɔwɔ nu a ɛyɛ dɔɔdɔ?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Mɛtɔ ka wɔ kɔd?
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Mɛpɛ akɔtɔ mɔkɔ.
Fatu, por favor.
Kɔtɔ, mepa wo kyɛw.
Servisu iha ka?
Ɔyɛ nɔɔma no mu?
Hau vegetarian.
Mɛyɛ ɔkɔmfo.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Mepa wo kyɛw, mɛmpɛ dɔkita.
Esa mak saboru.
Eyi yɛ dɔ.
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Mɛtɔ menu?
Kopa agua, por favor.
Mepa wo kyɛw, nsuo.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Tɔ́ nɔ́tsie(tɔ́ nɔ́tsie)
Liga ba ambulansia
Tɔ́ amublans(tɔ́ amublans)
Hau precisa doutor
Mèhia dɔ́kita(mèhia dɔ́kita)
Hau sente sick
Mèwɔ́ mɔ́(mèwɔ́ mɔ́)
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Mèwɔ́ nɔ́kpɔ́m(mèwɔ́ nɔ́kpɔ́m)
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Wòle nɔ́kpɔ́m aɖe?(wòle nɔ́kpɔ́m aɖe?)
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Eyi yɛ mɔ́(eyi yɛ mɔ́)
Hau hasai passport
Mèwɔ́ mɔ́ passport(mèwɔ́ mɔ́ passport)
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Wòle tɔ́ mɔ́ hotel?(wòle tɔ́ mɔ́ hotel?)
Help!
Mɛkpɔ!(mɛkpɔ!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Miawoe zɔ(Miawoe zo)
Kita halo reunião
Miawoe nyuie le agbe(Miawoe nyuie le agbe)
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Né wòle agbe si?(Ne wo le agbe si?)
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Mɛdɔ wòkpɔ dzesi le eŋu(Me do wo kpo dzesi le enu)
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Mɛdɔ wòkpɔ le eŋu?(Me do wo kpo le enu?)
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Mɛgblɔ be file no le(Me glo be file no le)
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Akpe na wò agbe(Akpe na wo agbe)
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Mɛdɔ nyuie le wò(Me do nyuie le wo)
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Né wòkɔ mɔ na?(Ne wo ko mo na?)
Hau sei volta ba ita
Miawoe le wò(Miawoe le wo)
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Dɔwɔtɔ le Fida(Dɔwɔtɔ le Fida)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.