Looking for practical Tetum to Krio phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Krio translation (Krio) — 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 Krio.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Krio-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tetum to Krio 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
Hello
Obrigadu
Tenki
Bondia
Gud mɔnin
Bona tarde
Gud aftanun
Bona noite
Gud ivnin
Bona noite
Gud nait
Ami hanesan
Si yu leta
Adeus
Bai
Quale naran ida?
Wetɛn na yu neym?
Naran hau John.
Ma neym na John
Kona ba o?
Ow yu de?
Diak ba halo ho o.
Naes fo mit yu
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Yu sabi English?
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
A no sabi Hindi well.
Hau la hatene.
A no sabi.
Favor fala ba moris.
Plis, tok slow.
Keta bele fala fali?
Yu fit tok dat again?
Onde mak banheira?
Weh na di toilet?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Ow A go fit reach di city center?
Virar ba hadau.
Turn left.
Virar ba direita.
Turn right.
Baa diretamente.
Go straight.
Iha ne'e barak?
Ow much na di fare?
Ticket ida, favor.
One ticket, plis.
Iha ne'e laran ka?
E far from ya?
Hau nune'e.
A don lost.
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Weh A go fit buy SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Yes
La
No
Talvez
Maybe
Hau hakarak
A mi agree
Hau la hakarak
A no agree
Nia mak diak
Dat na fine
Ita nian ideia sa?
Wet in you tink?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
You fit help me?
Hau precisa ajuda
A need help
Hakarak momentu
Wait small
Hau mós
A sorry
La problema
No problem
Parabens
Congratulations
Parabens ba aniversario
Happy birthday
Hau haruka viagen diak
Get safe trip
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Weh na di train station?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Weh na di bus stop?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Which platform na im?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Hora ne'e sai?
Wetin time e go lef?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Dis na di right way?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Iha ne'e perto
E dey near here(Iha ne'e perto)
Iha ne'e laran
E far from here(Iha ne'e laran)
Kona ba mapa?
Yu fit show me pan di map?(Kona ba mapa?)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Stop here, pliz(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kona tempu hira?
How long e go tek?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
How much dis cost?(ita nia presu sao?)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Dat too expensive.
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
You get anytin wey cheaper?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
I fit pay by card?
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
I wan table for two.
Fatu, por favor.
Di bill, please.
Servisu iha ka?
Service dey include?
Hau vegetarian.
I na vegetarian.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
No spicy food, please.
Esa mak saboru.
Dis dey sweet.
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
I fit get di menu?
Kopa agua, por favor.
A glass of water, please.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Call di police
Liga ba ambulansia
Call ambulance
Hau precisa doutor
A need doctor
Hau sente sick
A dey feel sick
Hau iha alergia ba karu
A get allergy for peanuts
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Weh di nearest hospital de?
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
E dey pain here
Hau hasai passport
A don lose mi passport
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
You fit call mi hotel?
Help!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Na nice for meet you
Kita halo reunião
Make we plan wan meeting
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Wetin time go work for you?
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
A go send di report tiday
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
We go fit talk tomorrow?
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Abeg find di file wey attach
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Tenki for your time
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
A dey look forward for work with you
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
You fit clarify dat point?
Hau sei volta ba ita
Make I get back to you
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Di deadline na Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.