Looking for practical Tetum to Nuer phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Nuer translation (Nuer) — 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 Nuer.
Tip: pick five Nuer phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tetum to Nuer 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
Nhiar
Obrigadu
Nyaak
Bondia
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Bona tarde
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Bona noite
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Bona noite
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Ami hanesan
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Adeus
Kɛ̈n
Quale naran ida?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
Naran hau John.
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
Kona ba o?
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
Diak ba halo ho o.
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Nyaac ke nyin English?
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Hau la hatene.
Nyaac ma nyin.
Favor fala ba moris.
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
Keta bele fala fali?
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
Onde mak banheira?
Yin thok a kɛl?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
Virar ba hadau.
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Virar ba direita.
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Baa diretamente.
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Iha ne'e barak?
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
Ticket ida, favor.
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Yin ke nyin a thok?
Hau nune'e.
Nyaac ke nyin.
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Aye
La
Naa
Talvez
Nyaak
Hau hakarak
Nyeek a kech
Hau la hakarak
Nyeek a kech naa
Nia mak diak
Iye kech kɛl
Ita nian ideia sa?
Nyaak a kech?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
Hau precisa ajuda
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Hakarak momentu
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Hau mós
Nyeek a kech
La problema
Naa a kech kɛl
Parabens
Aye kɛl
Parabens ba aniversario
Aye kɛl a wɛr
Hau haruka viagen diak
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?(Känyë kɛl bol)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel bet ket)
Hora ne'e sai?
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?(Kel wel it ket)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Kel it kel wel)
Iha ne'e perto
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?(Kel it kel kel)
Iha ne'e laran
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?(Kel it kel jol)
Kona ba mapa?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?(Kel jel kel pel)
Kona tempu hira?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Nyaak cɛl?(nyaak chel)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Kɛl yic kɛc(kel yich kech)
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?(yin kel nyin chel)
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?(nyaak ter kel kech)
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Fatu, por favor.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl(nyaak chel kel bel)
Servisu iha ka?
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?(yin kel chel kel ter)
Hau vegetarian.
Nyaak cɛl wɛr(nyaak chel wer)
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
Esa mak saboru.
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin(kel chel kel nyin)
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?(nyaak chel kel men)
Kopa agua, por favor.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Cïl wïr(cil wir)
Liga ba ambulansia
Cïl an ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Hau precisa doutor
Aŋ thïr a doctor(ang thir a doctor)
Hau sente sick
Aŋ kɔc(ang koc)
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït(ang koc a piyit)
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?(cit ken hospital)
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Cïk bɛ̈t(cik bet)
Hau hasai passport
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport(ang ken passport)
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Help!
Kɛ̈n!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Nyeu ke nyin(nyin = meet)
Kita halo reunião
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
Hau sei volta ba ita
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.