Airport & Customs

1. Favór ida hatudu ita nia pasaporte

   Fa-vor i-da ha-tu-du i-ta ni-a pa-sa-por-te

   Please show your passport

   Usage

   Standard phrase used by immigration officers

   Grammar Note

   Tetum has many loanwords from Portuguese

2. Saida mak objetivu ita nia vizita?

   Sa-i-da mak ob-je-ti-vu i-ta ni-a vi-zi-ta?

   What is the purpose of your visit?

   Usage

   Standard immigration question

   Grammar Note

   "Saida mak" = what is

3. Ita halo planu atu hela kalan hira?

   I-ta ha-lo pla-nu a-tu he-la ka-lan hi-ra?

   How many nights are you planning to stay?

   Usage

   Commonly asked at immigration

   Grammar Note

   "Hira" = how many. "Kalan" is night and "loron" is day, so nights are counted with "kalan hira". "To plan" is "halo planu" (verb halo + noun planu)

4. Ita iha buat ruma atu deklara ka lae?

   I-ta i-ha bu-at ru-ma a-tu de-kla-ra ka la-e?

   Do you have anything to declare?

   Usage

   Asked at customs

   Grammar Note

   "Ka lae" = or not (yes/no question ending). "Atu" must be followed by a verb, so the verb "deklara" is used rather than the noun "deklarasaun" (declare = deklara, declaration = deklarasaun)

5. Hau nia bagajen seidauk mai

   Hau ni-a ba-ga-jen sei-dauk mai

   My luggage hasn't arrived

   Usage

   Tell baggage claim staff

   Grammar Note

   "Seidauk" = not yet. Portuguese "-gem" is spelled "-jen" in Tetun, as in viajen, mensajen and imajen — hence "bagajen", not "bagagem"

6. Ne'e bagajen liman

   Ne-e ba-ga-jen li-man

   This is carry-on luggage

   Usage

   Tell airline staff at check-in or boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "Liman" = hand

7. Hau iha tránzitu

   Hau i-ha tran-zi-tu

   I'm in transit

   Usage

   Used at transit counters or immigration

   Grammar Note

   The spelling is "tránzitu" (em trânsito = iha tránzitu). It takes the existential "iha", not "hela" (to stay).

8. Portaun aviaun iha ne'ebé?

   Por-taun a-vi-aun i-ha ne-e-be?

   Where is the gate?

   Usage

   Ask when looking for your boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "Iha ne'ebe" = where is

9. Oras sa'e aviaun bainhira?

   O-ras sa-e a-vi-aun bain-hi-ra?

   When does boarding begin?

   Usage

   Ask while waiting at the boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "Bainhira" = when. "Oras sa'e aviaun" is boarding time and "kartaun atu sa'e aviaun" is boarding pass; "embarkasaun" is not used.

10. Loja duty free iha ne'ebé?

    Lo-ja duty free i-ha ne-e-be?

    Where is the duty-free shop?

    Usage

    Ask after clearing security

    Grammar Note

    The duty-free shop is "loja duty free" (adjective "livre taxa"); "livre impostu" is not used.

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