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