Looking for practical Tsonga to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga 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 Tsonga 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 Tsonga 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.
Xewani
Olá
Ndza khensa
Obrigadu
Xewani xitulu
Bondia
Xewani ntlhanu
Bona tarde
Xewani nhloko
Bona noite
Xewani xihlayo
Bona noite
Tshamisa
Ami hanesan
Sala kahle
Adeus
U vitaniwani?
Quale naran ida?
Ndzina i John
Naran hau John.
U njhani?
Kona ba o?
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Keta fala Inglês?
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
A ndzi twisisi.
Hau la hatene.
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Favor fala ba moris.
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Keta bele fala fali?
Xikombiso xihi?
Onde mak banheira?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Khandziya ekhaya.
Virar ba hadau.
Khandziya ekunene.
Virar ba direita.
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Baa diretamente.
Mafambiselo ma yini?
Iha ne'e barak?
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Ticket ida, favor.
I yini ku tlula kona?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ndzi khomiwe.
Hau nune'e.
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inhlawulo
Sim
A hi kona
La
Swi nga va tano
Talvez
Ndzi amukela
Hau hakarak
Ndzi nga amukeli
Hau la hakarak
Iku na switlhavelo
Nia mak diak
U ehleketa yini?
Ita nian ideia sa?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Hau precisa ajuda
Hlayisa nkarhi
Hakarak momentu
Ndzi tsundzuka
Hau mós
A hi na xiphiqo
La problema
Ndzakuva
Parabens
Mavongele yo tsakela
Parabens ba aniversario
U va na ndlela yo olova
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
I platform yihi?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
I kona edzongeni.
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
I le n'hweti.
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ku humelela njhani?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
I kona ku phindzelela.
Esa mak baratu demais.
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Fatu, por favor.
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
Servisu iha ka?
Ndza va vegetarian.
Hau vegetarian.
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Leswi i switlhavi.
Esa mak saboru.
Ndzaku na menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tivisa mapolisa
Liga ba polícia
Tivisa ambalansi
Liga ba ambulansia
Ndzi lava dokotela
Hau precisa doutor
Ndzi khoma ku vava
Hau sente sick
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Ku vava laha
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
Hau hasai passport
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Shelp!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
A hi endla xihlanganiso
Kita halo reunião
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Hau sei volta ba ita
Nkarhi wo heta i Friday
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.