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