Looking for practical Zulu to Tetum phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Zulu 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 Zulu 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.
Sawubona
Olá
Ngiyabonga
Obrigadu
Sawubona
Bondia
Good afternoon
Bona tarde
Ubusuku obuhle
Bona noite
Lala kahle
Bona noite
Sizobonana
Ami hanesan
Hamba kahle
Adeus
Ubani igama lakho?
Quale naran ida?
Igama lami nginguJohn
Naran hau John.
Unjani?
Kona ba o?
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Diak ba halo ho o.
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ukhuluma isiNgisi?
Keta fala Inglês?
Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Angiqondi.
Hau la hatene.
Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.
Favor fala ba moris.
Ungakuphinda lokho?
Keta bele fala fali?
Iphi indlu yangasese?
Onde mak banheira?
Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Jika kwesobunxele.
Virar ba hadau.
Jika kwesokudla.
Virar ba direita.
Hamba phambili.
Baa diretamente.
Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?
Iha ne'e barak?
Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.
Ticket ida, favor.
Ingabe kude lapha?
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Ngilahlekile.
Hau nune'e.
Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yebo
Sim
Cha
La
Mhlawumbe
Talvez
Ngiyavuma
Hau hakarak
Angivumi
Hau la hakarak
Lokho kuzwakala kahle
Nia mak diak
Ucabanga ukuthini?
Ita nian ideia sa?
Ungangisiza?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Ngidinga usizo
Hau precisa ajuda
Linda umzuzu
Hakarak momentu
Ngiyaxolisa
Hau mós
Akukho nkinga
La problema
Halala
Parabens
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Parabens ba aniversario
Uhambo olunempilo
Hau haruka viagen diak
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Iphi isitishi sesitimela?
Onde está a estacão de trem?(Onde está a estacão de trem?)
Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi?
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?(Onde está a paragem de autocarro?)
Iphi ipulatifomu?
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?(Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?)
Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba?
Hora ne'e sai?(Hora ne'e sai?)
Ingabe le yindlela efanele?
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?(Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?)
Ikhaya lapha eduze
Iha ne'e perto(Iha ne'e perto)
Ikude lapha
Iha ne'e laran(Iha ne'e laran)
Ungangikhombisa emmaphini?
Kona ba mapa?(Kona ba mapa?)
Misa lapha, ngiyacela
Parar iha ne'e, favor(Parar iha ne'e, favor)
Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani?
Kona tempu hira?(Kona tempu hira?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kubiza malini lokhu?
Ita nia presu sa'o?(ita nia presu sao?)
Lokho kubiza kakhulu.
Esa mak baratu demais.
Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Ibhili, ngiyacela.
Fatu, por favor.
Inkonzo ifakiwe?
Servisu iha ka?
Ngiyisithuthuthu.
Hau vegetarian.
Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Lokhu kuhle.
Esa mak saboru.
Ngicela imenyu?
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.
Kopa agua, por favor.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Shayela amaphoyisa
Liga ba polícia
Shayela i-ambulensi
Liga ba ambulansia
Ngidinga udokotela
Hau precisa doutor
Ngizizwa ngigula
Hau sente sick
Ngine-allergy kumantongomane
Hau iha alergia ba karu
Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Kubuhlungu lapha
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami
Hau hasai passport
Ungashayela ihhotela lami?
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Usizo!
Help!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Masihlele umhlangano
Kita halo reunião
Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Singakhuluma kusasa?
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Ngizobuyela kuwe
Hau sei volta ba ita
Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu
Prazo mak sexta-feira
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.