Looking for practical Tetum to Somali phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Somali translation (Somali) — 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 Somali.
Tip: pick five Somali 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 Somali 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
Salaan
Obrigadu
Mahadsanid
Bondia
Subax wanaagsan
Bona tarde
Duhur wanaagsan
Bona noite
Habeen wanaagsan
Bona noite
Habeen wanaagsan
Ami hanesan
Ilaa dambe
Adeus
Nabad gelyo
Quale naran ida?
Magacaa maxay tahay?
Naran hau John.
Magacaygu waa John
Kona ba o?
Sidee tahay?
Diak ba halo ho o.
Aad ayaan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?(Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?)
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Hindi si fiican uma hadlo
Hau la hatene.
Ma fahmin
Favor fala ba moris.
Fadlan si tartiib ah u hadal
Keta bele fala fali?
Ma ku celin kartaa?
Onde mak banheira?
Musqusha xaggee buu yaalaa?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Sideen ku gaari karaa xarunta magaalada?
Virar ba hadau.
Bidix u leexo
Virar ba direita.
Midig u leexo
Baa diretamente.
Toos u soco
Iha ne'e barak?
Immisa ayey tahay lacagta?
Ticket ida, favor.
Hal tigidh, fadlan
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ma fog tahay halkan?
Hau nune'e.
Waan lumay
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Xaggee ka iibsan karaa kaarka SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Haa
La
Maya
Talvez
Malaha
Hau hakarak
Waan ku raacsanahay
Hau la hakarak
Waan ku raacsaneyn
Nia mak diak
Taasi waa wax fiican
Ita nian ideia sa?
Maxaad u malaynaysaa?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ma i caawin kartaa?
Hau precisa ajuda
Waxaan u baahanahay caawimaad
Hakarak momentu
Sug daqiiqad
Hau mós
Waan ka xumahay
La problema
Dhib malahan
Parabens
Hambalyo
Parabens ba aniversario
Dhalasho wacan
Hau haruka viagen diak
Safar wanaagsan
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Xagee buu tareenka jooga?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Xagee buu basaska jooga?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Keenka sidee buu yahay?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Hora ne'e sai?
Goormee ayuu baxayaa?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Ma tan saxda ah?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Iha ne'e perto
Waa halkan u dhow(Iha ne'e perto)
Iha ne'e laran
Waa halkan fog(Iha ne'e laran)
Kona ba mapa?
Ma ii muujin kartaa khariidada?(Kona ba mapa?)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Halkan joog, fadlan(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kona tempu hira?
Immisa waqti ayey qaadaneysaa?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Imisa ayuu ku kacayaa?(ita nia presu sao?)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Taasi waa qaali aad u badan.
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Ma haysta wax ka jaban?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Ma bixin karaa kaarka?
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Waxaan jeclaan lahaa miis laba qof ah.
Fatu, por favor.
Fadlan, biilka.
Servisu iha ka?
Ma ku jirtaa adeegga?
Hau vegetarian.
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Fadlan, cunto aan xawaash lahayn.
Esa mak saboru.
Tani waa macaan.
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Ma heli karaa menu?
Kopa agua, por favor.
Fadlan, koob biyo ah.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Wac booliiska
Liga ba ambulansia
Wac ambalaas
Hau precisa doutor
Waxaan u baahanahay dhakhtar
Hau sente sick
Waxaan dareemayaa xanuun
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Waxaan leeyahay xasaasiyad lowska
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Isbitaalka ugu dhow xagee buu yaalaa?
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Halkaan ayaa i xanuunaya
Hau hasai passport
Dukumeentigayga safarka ayaan lumiyay
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Ma wici kartaa hoteelkeyga?
Help!
Caawimaad!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Aad baan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko
Kita halo reunião
Aan qorshayno kulan
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Waa maxay waqtiga ku habboon adiga?
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Waxaan maanta soo diri doonaa warbixinta
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Ma ka hadli karnaa berri?
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Fadlan eeg faylka ku lifaaqan
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Waad ku mahadsan tahay waqtigaaga
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Waxaan rajeynayaa in aan kula shaqeeyo
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Ma faahfaahin kartaa dhibicdaas?
Hau sei volta ba ita
Aan ku soo laabto
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Waqtiga kama dambaysta ah waa Jimcaha
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.