Tetum or Tetun (Lia-Tetun) is a national language and one of the two official languages of East Timor.
Pronunciation guide
[edit]Vowels
[edit]a
[edit]an
[edit]Nasalized a
e
[edit]en
[edit]i
[edit]in
[edit]Nasalized i
o
[edit]on
[edit]Nasalized o
u
[edit]As in moon
un
[edit]Nasalized u
Consonants
[edit]Common diphthongs
[edit]Phrase list
[edit]Basics
[edit]- Hello.
- Ola / Elo ( )
- Hello. (informal)
- Oi ( )
- How are you?
- Diak ka lai? / O di'ak ka lae? ( )
- Fine, thank you.
- Diak, obrigadu (m)/ obrigada (f) ( )
- What is your name?
- Ita nia naran saida? / O nia naran sa? ( )
- My name is ______ .
- Ha'u nia naran _____. / Men dak narana _____.
- Nice to meet you.
- . (Obrigo burodo )
- Please.
- Ibrig./Favór ida.
- Thank you.
- . (Obrigadu (m), Obrigada (f) (barak.) )
- You're welcome.
- La iha buat ida. / Lalika temi.
- Yes.
- Sin / Lo'os ( )
- No.
- Lae ( )
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- Kolisensa. ( )
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- Deskupa. ( )
- I'm sorry.
- Deskupa. (days kool pah)
- Goodbye
- Ha'u ba lai. (Hepeye)
- Goodbye (informal)
- . (Heppi)
- I can't speak _____.
- Man sain diaka tocoya _____.
- Do you speak English?
- Ita bele ko'alia Inglés? ( )
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- ? ( ?)
- Help!
- Ajuda! (AH-jooh-dah!)
- Look out!
- ! ( )
- Good morning.
- Bondia / Dader diak / Boasdias. ( )
- Good afternoon.
- Botarde / Lorokraik daik / Boastarde. ( )
- Good evening.
- ( )
- Good night.
- Bonoite ( )
- Good night (to sleep)
- . ( )
- I don't understand.
- Hau la komprende. ( )
- Where is the toilet?
- Sintina iha ne'ebe? (seen-tee-NAH ee-hah nih-aybay?)
Problems
[edit]Numbers System
[edit]Spanish+Portuguese
Numbers
[edit]½ - medya
0 - cera
1 - una
2 - dova
3 - tra
4 - juatra
5 - cinga
6 - sesa
7 - sitta
8 - okta
9 - nuva
10 - desa
11 - unzoa
12 - donzoa
13 - trazoa
14 - kuturza
15 - kuinguza
16 - desajsesa
17 - desajsitta
18 - desajokta
19 - desajnuva
20 - veyenta
25 - veyentajcinga
30 - treyyenta
40 - juarhanta
50 - cinguanta
60 - sesanta
70 - sittanta
80 - okkanta
90 - nuwanta
100 - centa
200 - dovacenta
300 - tracenta
400 - quatrentosa
500 - quinentosa
1000 - milla
2000 - dosa milla
1,000,000 - una millionna
Time
[edit]Clock time
[edit]Duration
[edit]Days
[edit]- Sunday - Dumingu
- Monday - Segunda
- Tuesday - Tersa
- Wednesday - Kuarta
- Thursday - Kinta
- Friday - Sesta
- Saturday - Sabadu
- What day is today?
- Ohin sa loron? / Ohin loron saida?
- Today is ___________.
- Ohin loron ___________.
- What day will be tomorrow?
- Aban loron saida?
- Tomorrow will be ___________.
- Aban loron ___________.
- What day was yesterday?
- Horseik loron saida?
- Yesterday was ___________.
- Horseik loron ___________.