Looking for practical Tswana to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana 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: read the Tetum line out loud three times, then cover the Tswana 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 Tswana 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.
Dumela
Olá
Ke a leboga
Obrigadu
Dumelang
Bondia
Dumela mo afternoon
Bona tarde
Dumela mo evening
Bona noite
Borai
Bona noite
Tsamaya sentle
Ami hanesan
Tsamaya sentle
Adeus
O na le leina mang?
Quale naran ida?
Leina la me ke John
Naran hau John.
O kae?
Kona ba o?
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
A o bua Seisemane?
Keta fala Inglês?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Hau la hatene.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Favor fala ba moris.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Keta bele fala fali?
Borai bo kae?
Onde mak banheira?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Virar ba hadau.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Virar ba direita.
Tswelela ka fao
Baa diretamente.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Iha ne'e barak?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ticket ida, favor.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ke a latlhela
Hau nune'e.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Sim
Nnyaa
La
Mafoko
Talvez
Ke a dumela
Hau hakarak
Ke sitwa go dumela
Hau la hakarak
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Nia mak diak
O akanya eng?
Ita nian ideia sa?
O ka nthusa?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Hau precisa ajuda
Emisa motsotso
Hakarak momentu
Ke maswabi
Hau mós
Ga go na bothata
La problema
A re amogele
Parabens
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Parabens ba aniversario
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Ke phetogo efe?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
E kgaogang fa
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
E le kgakala le fa
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
E tsaya nako e kae?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Seo ke se expensive
Esa mak baratu demais.(se ke se expensive)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, tsweetswee
Fatu, por favor.(bille, tsweetswee)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Servisu iha ka?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Ke movegetarian
Hau vegetarian.(ke mo vegetarian)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
Labele comida spicy, por favor.(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Se ke se monate
Esa mak saboru.(se ke se monate)
Na nka nna le menu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
Kopa agua, por favor.(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bua le mapolesa
Liga ba polícia
Bua le ambulance
Liga ba ambulansia
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Hau precisa doutor
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Hau sente sick
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Go botlhoko fa
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Hau hasai passport
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Thusa!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Kita halo reunião
Nako efe e go thusang?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
A re ka bua ka borai?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
A ke boele go wena
Hau sei volta ba ita
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.