Looking for practical Tetum to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum phrase first, then the Yoruba translation (Yoruba) — 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 Yoruba.
Tip: when a Yoruba 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 Yoruba 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
Bawo(bawoh)
Obrigadu
O seun(oh shayoon)
Bondia
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Bona tarde
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Bona noite
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Bona noite
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Ami hanesan
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Adeus
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Quale naran ida?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Naran hau John.
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Kona ba o?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Diak ba halo ho o.
Inu mi dun lati pade e(ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Hau la hatene.
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Favor fala ba moris.
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Keta bele fala fali?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Onde mak banheira?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Virar ba hadau.
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Virar ba direita.
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Baa diretamente.
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Iha ne'e barak?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Ticket ida, favor.
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Hau nune'e.
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Bẹẹni
La
Rara
Talvez
Bóyá
Hau hakarak
Mo gba
Hau la hakarak
Mo kọ
Nia mak diak
Iyẹn dára
Ita nian ideia sa?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Hau precisa ajuda
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Hakarak momentu
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Hau mós
Mo bínú
La problema
Kò sí ìṣòro
Parabens
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Parabens ba aniversario
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Hau haruka viagen diak
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Hora ne'e sai?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Iha ne'e perto
O sunmọ ibi yi(Iha ne'e perto)
Iha ne'e laran
O jinna si ibi yi(Iha ne'e laran)
Kona ba mapa?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Duro nibi, jọwọ(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kona tempu hira?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Fatu, por favor.
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Servisu iha ka?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Hau vegetarian.
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Esa mak saboru.
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Kopa agua, por favor.
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Liga ba polícia
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Liga ba ambulansia
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Hau precisa doutor
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Hau sente sick
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Hau hasai passport
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Help!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Kita halo reunião
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
Hau sei volta ba ita
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.