Looking for practical Tetum to Tongan phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Tongan translation (Tongan) — 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 Tongan.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tongan-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tetum to Tongan 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
Mālō
Obrigadu
Mālō
Bondia
Mālō e lelei
Bona tarde
Mālō e lelei
Bona noite
Mālō e lelei
Bona noite
Nofo ā
Ami hanesan
Tōfā
Adeus
Tōfā
Quale naran ida?
Ko e hā ho hingoa?
Naran hau John.
Ko hoku hingoa ko John
Kona ba o?
Ofa atu?
Diak ba halo ho o.
Faka'apa'apa kiate koe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?(Oe te u talanoa i te Galuega?)
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi(Oe te u 'ikai talanoa lelei i te Hindi)
Hau la hatene.
Oe te u 'ikai ma'u(Oe te u 'ikai ma'u)
Favor fala ba moris.
Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u(Fakamolemole talanoa ha feitu'u)
Keta bele fala fali?
Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?(Kuo 'i ai e ke talanoa 'o e toe?)
Onde mak banheira?
Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?(Ko e fea 'oku 'i ai e fanga?)
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?(E fa'ahinga e u 'alu ki he tu'a o e kolo?)
Virar ba hadau.
Fakafoki ki he kolo(Fakafoki ki he kolo)
Virar ba direita.
Fakafoki ki he 'akau(Fakafoki ki he 'akau)
Baa diretamente.
Alu 'o e 'alu(Alu 'o e 'alu)
Iha ne'e barak?
E hā e totongi?(E hā e totongi?)
Ticket ida, favor.
Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole(Tiketí 'e taha, fakamolemole)
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?(Oku 'i ai e 'i he 'i he 'a e fanga?)
Hau nune'e.
Oku ou 'i ma'u(Oku ou 'i ma'u)
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?(Ko e fea 'oku ou ma'u e SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Āe
La
Ikai
Talvez
Māfai
Hau hakarak
Oku ou ʻilo
Hau la hakarak
Oku ou ʻikai ʻilo
Nia mak diak
Oku lelei ia
Ita nian ideia sa?
Ko e hā hoʻu manatu?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Te u ʻofa mai?
Hau precisa ajuda
Oku ou fiemaʻu ʻofa
Hakarak momentu
Fakamolemole
Hau mós
Oku ou fakamolemole
La problema
Ikai ha palopalema
Parabens
Fakaʻapaʻapa
Parabens ba aniversario
Mālō e lelei ki he ʻaho mate
Hau haruka viagen diak
Fakaʻaongaʻi lelei
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Ko fea e falemai?(ko fea e fale mai)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Ko fea e nofoa bus?(ko fea e nofoa bus)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Ko e feheia e pātala?(ko e feheia e patala)
Hora ne'e sai?
He taimi fē e 'alu ai?(he taimi fe e alu ai)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Ko e ala lelei 'eni?(ko e ala lelei eni)
Iha ne'e perto
Ko ia 'i he vaha'a ni(ko ia i he vahaa ni)
Iha ne'e laran
Ko ia 'i he tu'a(ko ia i he tua)
Kona ba mapa?
Oka e faka'ali'ali mai kiate au 'i he mapa?(oka e fakaali ali mai kiate au i he mapa)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Tū 'i he 'aiga, kataki(tu i he aiga kataki)
Kona tempu hira?
E taha e taimi?(e taha e taimi)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Ehia te fua o kēia?(ehia te fua o kehā)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Ko ia, e lahi loā(ko ia e lahi loa)
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Ofa mai ha meʻakai e ngāue?(ofa mai ha meakai e ngau)
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
E mafai au ke totongi e pātu?(e mafai au ke totongi e patu)
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Ofa atu au ke he meʻakai e tolu(ofa atu au ke he meakai e tolu)
Fatu, por favor.
Te fua, kataki(te fua kataki)
Servisu iha ka?
E aofia ai te ngāue?(e aofia ai te ngau)
Hau vegetarian.
O au ko e meʻakai(o au ko e meakai)
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Kātoa ʻa e meʻakai ʻālohi, kataki(katoa a e meakai alohi kataki)
Esa mak saboru.
Ko ʻeni, e lelei(ko eni e lelei)
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
E mafai au ke maʻu e meʻakai?(e mafai au ke mau e meakai)
Kopa agua, por favor.
Ha ipu vai, kataki(ha ipu vai kataki)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Tū mai e polisi
Liga ba ambulansia
Tū mai e ambulance
Hau precisa doutor
Ofa mai e fomaʻi
Hau sente sick
Oku ou fehi
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Oku ou maʻu e fakamātoato ki e pīnati
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Ko e fea e hōspitali lahi?
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Oku ʻi ai e ʻā
Hau hasai passport
Naʻe ou fā e pāsipoti
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Te ke tū mai e hoteli ko hoku?
Help!
Fakamolemole!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Mālō e lelei
Kita halo reunião
Tōmua ta seti ha fakataha
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Ko e hā e taimi e lelei kiate koe?
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Te u fa'ahinga e lipooti 'i he 'aho ni
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Tēnā mafai ta talanoa 'i he 'aho 'apongipongi?
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Kātoa e faile 'oku fakafā
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Mālō 'aupito kiate koe
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Te u fie ma'u ke ngāue mo koe
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Kātoa e mafai ke ke fakakaukau 'a e konga 'o ia?
Hau sei volta ba ita
Tēnā e 'alu au kiate koe
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Ko e ta'u 'o e ngāue ko e Falaite
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.