Looking for practical Tetum to Twi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Twi translation (Twi) — 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 Twi.
Tip: read the Twi line out loud three times, then cover the Tetum side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tetum to Twi 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
Akwabaa
Obrigadu
Medase
Bondia
Mema wo akye
Bona tarde
Mema wo aha
Bona noite
Mema wo adwo
Bona noite
Da yie
Ami hanesan
Yɛbɛhyia bio
Adeus
Nante yie
Quale naran ida?
Wo din de sɛn?
Naran hau John.
Me din de John
Kona ba o?
Wo ho te sɛn?
Diak ba halo ho o.
Ɛyɛ me anigye sɛ mehyia wo
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Wopɛ sɛ woka Borɔfo?(Wo pe se wo ka Borɔfo?)
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Mente Hindi pa
Hau la hatene.
Mente ase
Favor fala ba moris.
Mepa wo kyɛw, kasa kakra
Keta bele fala fali?
Wobɛtumi akasa bio?
Onde mak banheira?
Ɛhe na ɔdan no wɔ?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Ɛyɛ dɛn na mɛkɔ kurom mu?
Virar ba hadau.
Bɔ nifa
Virar ba direita.
Bɔ benkum
Baa diretamente.
Kɔ mmerɛ mu
Iha ne'e barak?
Sɛnea na sika no yɛ?
Ticket ida, favor.
Kɔtɔkɔ baako, mepa wo kyɛw
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ɛyɛ ɔkwan tenten fi ha?
Hau nune'e.
Meda hɔ a, mintumi mfa
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Ɛhe na mɛtumi atɔ SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Aane
La
Daabi
Talvez
Ebeye yie
Hau hakarak
M'ani agye
Hau la hakarak
M'ani nsi
Nia mak diak
Ɛyɛ fɛ
Ita nian ideia sa?
Dɛn na wopɛ?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Wobɛtumi aboa me?
Hau precisa ajuda
Mepɛ aboa
Hakarak momentu
Tena hɔ kakra
Hau mós
Mepa wo kyɛw
La problema
Nkwasea nni hɔ
Parabens
Meda wo akye
Parabens ba aniversario
Awoda pa
Hau haruka viagen diak
Bɔkɔ a yɛn nyansa
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Ɛhe na ɔkoɔtɔ no da?(Ehe na okoto no da?)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Ɛhe na ɔkwan no da?(Ehe na okwan no da?)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Ɛhe na ɔkwan no da?(Ehe na okwan no da?)
Hora ne'e sai?
Dɛn na ɛbɛkɔ?(Den na ebekɔ?)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Ɛyɛ ɔkwan pa anaa?(Eyɛ okwan pa anaa?)
Iha ne'e perto
Ɛyɛ bɛn ha(Eyɛ ben ha)
Iha ne'e laran
Ɛyɛ mmerɛ ha(Eyɛ mmerɛ ha)
Kona ba mapa?
Wobɛtumi akyerɛ me wɔ mpa mu?(Wobɛtumi akyerɛ me wɔ mpa mu?)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Sɔ ha, me pa wo kyɛw(Sɔ ha, me pa wo kyɛw)
Kona tempu hira?
Ɛyɛ dɛn na ɛbɛyɛ?(Ɛyɛ dɛn na ɛbɛyɛ?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Ɛyɛ sɛn?(Eye sen?)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Ɛyɛ dɔɔso(Eye dooso)
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Wopɛ biribi a ɛyɛ mmerɛ?(Wope biribi a eye mmere?)
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Mɛtumi akyɛ kaad no?(Metumi akye kaad no?)
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Mepɛ meyɛ abɔnten mmienu(Mepɛ abɔnten mmienu)
Fatu, por favor.
Sika no, mepa wo kyɛw(Sika no, mepɔ wo kyɛw)
Servisu iha ka?
Ɛyɛ ɔsom a wɔakɔka ho?(Eye osom a wɔakɔka ho?)
Hau vegetarian.
Meyɛ ɔkɔmfoɔ(Meyɛ okomfo)
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Mepa wo kyɛw, nsɛm a ɛyɛ kɔkɔɔ nni hɔ(Mepa wo kyɛw, nsɛm a eye kɔkɔɔ nni hɔ)
Esa mak saboru.
Ɛyɛ anigye(Eye anigye)
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Mɛtumi anya menu no?(Metumi anya menu no?)
Kopa agua, por favor.
Mepa wo kyɛw, nsuo bi(Mepa wo kyɛw, nsuo bi)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Frɛ ɔpolice(Freh opolisi)
Liga ba ambulansia
Frɛ ambulance(Freh ambulance)
Hau precisa doutor
Mepɛ dɔkita(Mepe dokita)
Hau sente sick
Meda ho yare(Medaho yare)
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Medi nkuto ho yare(Medi nkuto ho yare)
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Ɛhe na ɔyareɛ foforɔ no wɔ?(Ehe na oyare foforo no wo?)
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Ɛyɛ me ya ha(Eyɛ me ya ha)
Hau hasai passport
Mɛhwere me passport(Mehwere me passport)
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Wobɛtumi afrɛ me hotel?(Wobɛtumi afre me hotel?)
Help!
Boa me!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Me ho yɛ fɛ sɛ me ne wo bɛhyia
Kita halo reunião
Ma yɛnhyɛ nhyiamu da
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Dɛn na ɛyɛ ɔberɛ a ɛyɛ wo dea?
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Mɛsoma abatoɔ no nnɛ
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Ɛbɛyɛ a yɛbɛkasa ɔkyena?
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Mesrɛ, hwɛ fael no a ɛda ho
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Medase sɛ wopɛ bere no
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Mepɛ sɛ me ne wo yɛ adwuma
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Wobɛtumi akyerɛkyerɛ saa nsɛm no?
Hau sei volta ba ita
Ma menkɔ na mɛsan aba
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Nhyɛda no yɛ Ɛbenada
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.