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