Looking for practical Tetum to Marshallese phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Marshallese translation (Marshallese) — 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 Marshallese.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Marshallese-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tetum to Marshallese 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
Yokwe(yoh-kweh)
Obrigadu
Komol tata(koh-mol tah-tah)
Bondia
Yokwe in the morning(yoh-kweh in the morning)
Bona tarde
Yokwe in the afternoon(yoh-kweh in the afternoon)
Bona noite
Yokwe in the evening(yoh-kweh in the evening)
Bona noite
Yokwe in the night(yoh-kweh in the night)
Ami hanesan
Aolep in(ah-oh-lep in)
Adeus
Aolep(ah-oh-lep)
Quale naran ida?
Ejjab in name?(eh-jahb in name)
Naran hau John.
Ejjab in John(eh-jahb in John)
Kona ba o?
Iakwe?(ee-ah-kweh)
Diak ba halo ho o.
Ejjab in an(eh-jahb in an)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Ijo im jab in English?(Ijo im jab in English?)
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Ej jab in Hindi bwe enaj(Ej jab in Hindi bwe enaj)
Hau la hatene.
Ej jab in jorren(Ej jab in jorren)
Favor fala ba moris.
Jab in jorren bwe enaj(Jab in jorren bwe enaj)
Keta bele fala fali?
Ejjab in jorren an?(Ejjab in jorren an?)
Onde mak banheira?
Ejjab in wōt ian?(Ejjab in wōt ian?)
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Ejjab in jorren eok wōt?(Ejjab in jorren eok wōt?)
Virar ba hadau.
Jab in jorren jān(Jab in jorren jān)
Virar ba direita.
Jab in jorren jān(Jab in jorren jān)
Baa diretamente.
Jab in jorren wōt(Jab in jorren wōt)
Iha ne'e barak?
Ejjab in jorren eok?(Ejjab in jorren eok?)
Ticket ida, favor.
Jab in ticket, please(Jab in ticket, please)
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ejjab in jorren eok?(Ejjab in jorren eok?)
Hau nune'e.
Ej jab in jorren(Ej jab in jorren)
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Ejjab in wōt in SIM card?(Ejjab in wōt in SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Ejjab
La
Aolep
Talvez
Ejjab im aolep
Hau hakarak
Ejjab im an
Hau la hakarak
Aolep im an
Nia mak diak
Ejjab in aolep
Ita nian ideia sa?
Nin in ke ejjake?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ien ke eja in?
Hau precisa ajuda
Enaaj ejjake
Hakarak momentu
Jab in
Hau mós
Ejjab in jorren
La problema
Aolep in jorren
Parabens
Bwij in jorren
Parabens ba aniversario
Yokwe in jorren
Hau haruka viagen diak
Jab in ad jorren
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Enaaj im jab in train?(enaaj im jab in train)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Enaaj im jab in bus?(enaaj im jab in bus)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Iakwe im jab in platform?(iakwe im jab in platform)
Hora ne'e sai?
Nin in kijen?(nin in kijen)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Enaaj in jiban?(enaaj in jiban)
Iha ne'e perto
Enaaj jikin in?(enaaj jikin in)
Iha ne'e laran
Enaaj jikin in jikin?(enaaj jikin in jikin)
Kona ba mapa?
Enaaj im jab in map?(enaaj im jab in map)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Jab in jikin, please(jab in jikin, please)
Kona tempu hira?
Enaaj im jab in jikin?(enaaj im jab in jikin)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Enaaj im jab?(ita nia presu sao?)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Ej juon im jab.
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Enaaj im jab aolep?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Enaaj im jipan eñ?
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Enaaj im jipan table roñ.
Fatu, por favor.
Enaaj im jipan bill.
Servisu iha ka?
Enaaj im jab service?
Hau vegetarian.
Ej im vegetarian.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Enaaj im jab spicy food.
Esa mak saboru.
Ej ej jab.
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Enaaj im jipan menu?
Kopa agua, por favor.
Enaaj im jipan glass wōt.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Kōmmani ian jān(kōmmani ian jān)
Liga ba ambulansia
Kōmmani ian ambulance(kōmmani ian ambulance)
Hau precisa doutor
Ej jekōn doctor(ej jekōn doctor)
Hau sente sick
Ej jekūn(ej jekūn)
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Ej jekūn jab in jekōn(ej jekūn jab in jekōn)
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Ejjab jān hospital in jān?(ejjab jān hospital in jān?)
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Ej jekūn in(ej jekūn in)
Hau hasai passport
Ej jekūn passport(ej jekūn passport)
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Ijjab kōmmani ian hotel in?(ijjab kōmmani ian hotel in?)
Help!
Jab!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Ij jorren in(I am glad to meet you)
Kita halo reunião
Kij in jorren eok(Let's arrange a meeting)
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Ejjab in jorren?(What time is good for you?)
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Ej jekar in report an(I will send the report today)
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Ejjab in jorren ak jorren?(Can we talk tomorrow?)
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Jab in jorren eok file an(Please see the attached file)
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Komol tata in jorren(Thank you for your time)
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Ij jorren in jab in jorren(I look forward to working with you)
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Ejjab in jorren eok?(Can you clarify that point?)
Hau sei volta ba ita
Kij in jorren eok(Let me return to you)
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Ejjab in jorren Friday(The deadline is Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.