Looking for practical Tetum to Tiv phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Tiv translation (Tiv) — 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 Tiv.
Tip: when a Tiv 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 Tiv 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
Mgbakpa
Obrigadu
Ior na
Bondia
Mgbakpa u sha
Bona tarde
Mgbakpa u kpa
Bona noite
Mgbakpa u ter
Bona noite
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Ami hanesan
Kpa a joo
Adeus
Ior a joo
Quale naran ida?
Ior m ngu?
Naran hau John.
M ngu John
Kona ba o?
Ior m nande?
Diak ba halo ho o.
Ior m nande a joo
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
I kpa English?
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Hau la hatene.
M nahan usha.
Favor fala ba moris.
M nahan usha kpa.
Keta bele fala fali?
I kpa a sha?
Onde mak banheira?
I we a joo?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Virar ba hadau.
Kpa a joo.
Virar ba direita.
Kpa a nahan.
Baa diretamente.
Kpa a sha.
Iha ne'e barak?
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Ticket ida, favor.
I kpa a ticket, please.
Iha ne'e laran ka?
I we a nahan a nahan?
Hau nune'e.
M nahan sha.
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Ee
La
Naa
Talvez
Iye
Hau hakarak
M na a kpa
Hau la hakarak
M na a kpa nahan
Nia mak diak
I kpa a kpa
Ita nian ideia sa?
U kpa a nahan?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
U kpa m nahan?
Hau precisa ajuda
M na a kpa nahan
Hakarak momentu
Kpa a kpa
Hau mós
M na a kpa
La problema
Naa a kpa
Parabens
I kpa a kpa
Parabens ba aniversario
A kpa a kpa
Hau haruka viagen diak
U kpa a kpa
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Ior a kpa?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Ior a nyam?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Ior a gande?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Hora ne'e sai?
Nenge a kpa?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Ior a nenge a?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Iha ne'e perto
I na kpa a.(Iha ne'e perto)
Iha ne'e laran
I na kpa a kpa.(Iha ne'e laran)
Kona ba mapa?
I ma ior a gande?(Kona ba mapa?)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Kpa a, please.(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kona tempu hira?
Nenge a kpa?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Ior kwagh nahan?(ior kwagh nahan)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Ior u kpa a kpa(ior u kpa a kpa)
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Ior m ngu u kpa?(ior m ngu u kpa)
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Ior m gban a card?(ior m gban a card)
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
A doo a table m ngu a yô(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Fatu, por favor.
Ior a bill, please(ior a bill, please)
Servisu iha ka?
Ior a service m nahan?(ior a service m nahan)
Hau vegetarian.
A m vegetarian(a m vegetarian)
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
A m nahan a spicy food(a m nahan a spicy food)
Esa mak saboru.
Ior a kpa(ior a kpa)
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Ior m gban a menu?(ior m gban a menu)
Kopa agua, por favor.
A glass a water, please(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Kpa a police
Liga ba ambulansia
Kpa a ambulance
Hau precisa doutor
M ba a doctor
Hau sente sick
M kpa a kpa
Hau iha alergia ba karu
M kpa a nyam
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
I kpa a hospital mza?
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
I kpa a sha
Hau hasai passport
M kpa a passport m
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
I kpa a hotel m?
Help!
Kpa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Ior u kpa.
Kita halo reunião
Ka a hia ikyô.
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Nî kpa u kpa?
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
M gbanor u kpe.
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
A hia nî u hia?
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
M kpa u venge.
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ior u nenge.
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
M hia u kpa.
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Ior a hia u mba?
Hau sei volta ba ita
Ka m hia u.
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.