Looking for practical Tetum to Luganda phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Luganda translation (Luganda) — 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 Luganda.
Tip: when a Luganda phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tetum 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 Tetum to Luganda 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
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Obrigadu
Webale(Webale)
Bondia
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Bona tarde
Osiibye bulungi?(Osiibye bulungi?)
Bona noite
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Bona noite
Lwaki olugendo?(Lwaki olugendo?)
Ami hanesan
Tugenda kutya?(Tugenda kutya?)
Adeus
Nkwagala(Nkwagala)
Quale naran ida?
Erinnya lyo ani?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Naran hau John.
Erinnya lyange nze John(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Kona ba o?
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Diak ba halo ho o.
Nkwagala okukulaba(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Hau la hatene.
Sijja kumanya.
Favor fala ba moris.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Keta bele fala fali?
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Onde mak banheira?
Ekitanda kiki?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Virar ba hadau.
Genda ku kkono.
Virar ba direita.
Genda ku mwoyo.
Baa diretamente.
Genda mu maaso.
Iha ne'e barak?
Ekitundu kiki?
Ticket ida, favor.
Ticket emu, please.
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Kiki kirekera wano?
Hau nune'e.
Ndi mu bubi.
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Ye
La
Nedda
Talvez
Okwagala
Hau hakarak
Nnaakuwandiika
Hau la hakarak
Sikuwandiika
Nia mak diak
Kyo kyekirungi
Ita nian ideia sa?
Otekayo ki?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Osobola okundabira?
Hau precisa ajuda
Nfuna obuyambi
Hakarak momentu
Saba omukutu
Hau mós
Nsaba
La problema
Tewali kibadde
Parabens
Okwagaliza
Parabens ba aniversario
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Hau haruka viagen diak
Genda bulungi
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Ekitangaala ki?(ekitangaala ki)
Hora ne'e sai?
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?(bwe ki ssaawa esigala)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Okwetegeka kwe?(okwetegeka kwe)
Iha ne'e perto
Kiri wano wansi(kiri wano wansi)
Iha ne'e laran
Kiri mangu(kiri mangu)
Kona ba mapa?
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?(osobola okundabira ku kaddde)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Ggenda wano, please(ggenda wano, please)
Kona tempu hira?
Tewali bungi ki?(tewali bungi ki)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Kiki ky'ekitundu?(Kiki ky'ekitundu?)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
Fatu, por favor.
Ekitabo, please.
Servisu iha ka?
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Hau vegetarian.
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
Esa mak saboru.
Ono mulungi.
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Nneetaaga menu?
Kopa agua, por favor.
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Mpozzi polisi
Liga ba ambulansia
Mpozzi ambulance
Hau precisa doutor
Nfuna daktari
Hau sente sick
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Bikozesa wano
Hau hasai passport
Nfuuse passport yange
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
Help!
Mbadde!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.