Emergency

39 phrases · Tetum with romanization, English and audio

  1. Ajuda!

    A-ju-da!

    Help!

    Usage

    Shout this loudly in an emergency

    Grammar Note

    Direct loanword from Portuguese "ajuda" (help). Short phrases are most effective in emergencies. The Portuguese "socorro!" is also sometimes used.

  2. Hau presiza doutór

    Hau pre-si-za dou-tor

    I need a doctor

    Usage

    Request medical assistance when ill or injured

    Grammar Note

    "presiza" and "doutór" are Portuguese loanwords. Timor-Leste's healthcare infrastructure is still developing; travel insurance and knowledge of the nearest quality medical facility is strongly recommended.

  3. Husu polísia!

    Hu-su po-li-si-a!

    Call the police!

    Usage

    When a crime or accident requires police intervention

    Grammar Note

    "husu" is a native Tetum verb meaning "to ask/request." "polísia" from Portuguese "polícia." The police (PNTL) emergency number in Timor-Leste is 112; ambulance is 110 and fire/civil protection is 115.

  4. Ahi!

    A-hi!

    Fire!

    Usage

    Shout to alert others of a fire

    Grammar Note

    "ahi" is native Tetum for "fire," cognate with Malay "api" and Tagalog "apoy" — reflecting the shared Austronesian heritage. A single word suffices in emergencies.

  5. Hau lakon hau nia pasaporte

    Hau la-kon hau ni-a pa-sa-por-te

    I have lost my passport

    Usage

    Report a lost passport to the embassy or police

    Grammar Note

    "lakon" means "to lose/be lost." The possessive needs the pronoun: "hau nia" = my. Bare "nia" would mean "his/her." "pasaporte" from Portuguese "passaporte."

  6. Hau iha alerjia ba...

    Hau i-ha a-ler-ji-a ba...

    I have an allergy to...

    Usage

    Inform medical staff or a cook about your allergy

    Grammar Note

    "iha alerjia ba" = "have an allergy to." "ba" marks the object of the allergy. It is spelled "alerjia" (Portuguese "alergia" with g respelt as j). Fill in "..." with the food or substance name.

  7. Hau moras

    Hau mo-ras

    I am sick / I don't feel well

    Usage

    Simplest phrase to say you feel unwell

    Grammar Note

    "moras" is native Tetum for "sick/in pain." "Hau moras" is the simplest subject + state-verb sentence. Specific pain: "body part + moras" (e.g., "ulun moras" = headache).

  8. Ospitál iha ne'ebé?

    Os-pi-tal i-ha ne-e-be?

    Where is the hospital?

    Usage

    Ask for the location of a hospital in case of emergency or illness

    Grammar Note

    "Ospitál" from Portuguese "hospital." The main hospital in Dili is Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares. "iha ne'ebé?" is the standard location question.

  9. Husik hau ba!

    Hu-sik hau ba!

    Let me go! / Leave me alone!

    Usage

    Say loudly when you feel physically threatened

    Grammar Note

    "husik" is native Tetum meaning "to release/let go." "hau ba" = "let me go." Imperative sentences in Tetum use the bare verb form.

  10. Hau presiza embaixada

    Hau pre-si-za em-bai-xa-da

    I need to contact the embassy

    Usage

    When embassy assistance is needed — lost passport, arrest, or serious incident

    Grammar Note

    "embaixada" directly from Portuguese. "presiza" from Portuguese "precisar." Dili hosts embassies of many countries. Know your embassy's location before travel.

  11. Keta!

    Stop it

    Usage

    Show it firmly without speaking, e.g. to aggressive touts

  12. Labele kona hau!

    Do not touch me

    Usage

    Show it firmly without speaking

  13. Ema na'ok hau nia sasan

    My things were stolen

    Usage

    Report a theft to police or your hotel

  14. Hau lakon dalan

    I am lost

    Usage

    Use when asking for help finding your way

  15. Naok-teen

    Thief

    Usage

    The word for a thief; use it when reporting a theft

  16. Bomba

    Bomb

    Usage

    The word for a bomb; the same word also means a pump, so use it in an urgent context

  17. Ahi! Halai sai!

    A-hi! Ha-lai sai!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Alerts the people around you to a fire and tells them to run out

    Grammar Note

    "Halai sai" is a collocation meaning "escape"; Tetun imperatives are the bare verb, exactly as in "Husu polísia!".

  18. Kaer naok-teen ne'e!

    Ka-er na-ok-te-en ne-e!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Calls on bystanders to seize someone who has just stolen from you

    Grammar Note

    Takes "kaer naok-teen" (catch a thief), turns it into an imperative and adds the demonstrative "ne'e".

  19. Husu bombeirus!

    Hu-su bom-bei-rus!

    Please call the fire brigade!

    Usage

    Asks someone to call the fire service

    Grammar Note

    The object slot of "Husu polísia!" (call the police) filled with "bombeirus", which means "fire brigade, fireman" — not the vehicle.

  20. Eskuadra iha ne'ebé?

    Es-ku-a-dra i-ha ne-e-be?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Asks for the police station so you can report an incident

    Grammar Note

    The subject slot of "Ospitál iha ne'ebé?" (where is the hospital?) swapped for "eskuadra", which means "police station" on its own, with no modifier needed.

  21. Hau presiza hatoo keixa ba polísia.

    Hau pre-si-za ha-to-o kei-xa ba po-li-si-a.

    I need to make a report to the police

    Usage

    Files the formal complaint with the police that you need for an insurance claim or a replacement document

    Grammar Note

    The "Hau presiza X" (I need X) frame filled with "hatoo keixa" ("make a formal complaint"). The preposition "ba" marks the addressee, as in "haruka karta ba Japaun".

  22. Iha ema ne'ebé bele ko'alia lian Japaun?

    I-ha e-ma ne-e-be be-le ko-a-li-a li-an Ja-paun?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Looks for a Japanese speaker at a hospital or a police station

    Grammar Note

    The existential "Iha X?" frame with the predicate of "Ita bele ko'alia Inglés?" (can you speak English?) attached by the relative marker "ne'ebé". The language name follows the "lian + country" pattern, as in "lian Indonézia", "lian Xina" and "lian Olanda".

  23. Ema ne'e dezmaia.

    E-ma ne-e dez-mai-a.

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Tells responders or bystanders that the person who has collapsed is unconscious

    Grammar Note

    The "Ema …" (a person does …) subject with the demonstrative "ne'e" attached. "Dezmaia" means "faint, pass out, collapse, unconscious."

  24. Ema mout iha bee!

    E-ma mout i-ha be-e!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Raises the alarm when you see someone drowning at the beach or in a pool

    Grammar Note

    The predicate of the "Ema …" (a person does …) frame swapped. "Mout" means "sink, bogged, drown", covering being stuck in mud too, so the sense is pinned down by adding a word, as in "mout to'o mate"; here "iha bee" (in the water) is used.

  25. Ema baku hau.

    E-ma ba-ku hau.

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Reports to police or a doctor that you were assaulted

    Grammar Note

    Same "Ema + verb + hau" frame as "Ema na'ok hau nia sasan" (my belongings were stolen). Tetun has no passive voice; being a victim is expressed with this active pattern.

  26. Ema sona hau ho tudik.

    E-ma so-na hau ho tu-dik.

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Tells responders or police that you were stabbed with a blade

    Grammar Note

    The "Ema + verb + hau" frame. "Sona" is polysemous — "fry; stab, pierce, give an injection" — and the stabbing sense is written "sona (ho tudik)", where "ho tudik" means "with a knife", so that phrase is kept here to pin the sense down.

  27. Ema tama hau nia kuartu.

    E-ma ta-ma hau ni-a ku-ar-tu.

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Reports to the hotel or the police that your room was entered while you were out

    Grammar Note

    The verb and noun slots of "Ema na'ok hau nia sasan" (my belongings were stolen) swapped. "Tama" is the verb in "Labele tama" (no entry). Possession uses the spaced "hau nia".

  28. Ema ne'e mak autór krimi.

    E-ma ne-e mak au-tor kri-mi.

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Points out the offender to the police

    Grammar Note

    An equational sentence with the focus particle "mak". "Autór" means "perpetrator", written "autór (krimi)"; on its own it also means "author", so "krimi" is kept.

  29. Ema bosok hau.

    E-ma bo-sok hau.

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Says that you were cheated or scammed

    Grammar Note

    The "Ema + verb + hau" frame. "Bosok" means "deceive, lie."

  30. Ema na'ok hau nia karteira.

    E-ma na-ok hau ni-a kar-tei-ra.

    My wallet was stolen

    Usage

    Reports the theft of your wallet to the police or your hotel

    Grammar Note

    Only the object of "Ema na'ok hau nia sasan" (my belongings were stolen) is swapped. "Karteira" means "wallet, purse, handbag."

  31. Hau husik hau nia mala.

    Hau hu-sik hau ni-a ma-la.

    I left my bag behind

    Usage

    Says that you left your bag behind on a vehicle or in a shop

    Grammar Note

    Takes "Hau bele husik hau nia bagajen iha ne'e?" (can I leave my luggage here?), drops the modal and the place phrase, and swaps the noun for "mala". "Husik" means "leave, leave behind".

  32. Kareta kona hau.

    Ka-re-ta ko-na hau.

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Tells responders or police that a car hit you

    Grammar Note

    The "kona hau" sequence is taken unchanged from "Labele kona hau!" (don't touch me!), with "kareta" added as the subject. A missed shot is "la kona", which shows that "kona" means hitting a target.

  33. Favór ida sai husi saída emerjénsia.

    Fa-vor i-da sai hu-si sa-i-da e-mer-jen-si-a.

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Directs people to the escape route

    Grammar Note

    The "Favór ida + verb" request frame ("Favór ida hein", "Favór ida ko'alia neineik") with the signage term "Saída emerjénsia" introduced by "husi" ("husi Japaun").

  34. Perigu!

    Pe-ri-gu!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Warns people of an immediate danger

    Grammar Note

    A one-word noun alarm, built the same way as "Ahi!" (fire). The root is the one in the adjective "perigozu" (dangerous) of "Iha tubarau ka animál perigozu iha ne'e?"; the noun "perigu" means "danger".

  35. Favór ida halo lalais!

    Fa-vor i-da ha-lo la-lais!

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Urges someone to hurry

    Grammar Note

    The "Favór ida + verb + adverb" frame of "Favór ida ko'alia neineik" (please speak slowly) with the adverb swapped for its opposite, "lalais" (quickly). "Halo" is the verb in "Hau halo rezerva".

  36. Favór ida mai agora kedas.

    Fa-vor i-da mai a-go-ra ke-das.

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Asks someone — on the phone, for instance — to come immediately

    Grammar Note

    The "Favór ida + verb" request frame ("Favór ida hein") with the verb "mai" and "Agora kedas" (right now).

  37. Ne'e emerjénsia.

    Ne-e e-mer-jen-si-a.

    It is an emergency

    Usage

    States that the situation is urgent — to be seen ahead of a queue, for instance

    Grammar Note

    Tetun equational sentences juxtapose subject and noun with no copula.

  38. Favór ida lori hau ba ospitál.

    Fa-vor i-da lo-ri hau ba os-pi-tal.

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    Asks a taxi driver or a bystander to take you to a hospital

    Grammar Note

    The "Favór ida + verb" request frame combined with "lori hau" from "Hau bele lori hau nia asu servisu?" and "ospitál". Direction is marked by the preposition "ba", as in "alerjia ba…".

  39. Iha asidente iha dalan.

    I-ha a-si-den-te i-ha da-lan.

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Report that a road accident has happened, to the emergency line or to bystanders. The police number in Timor-Leste is 112

    Grammar Note

    The "Iha asidente" of "Iha asidente — favór bolu patrulha ski!" with the "iha dalan" of "Iha baraka ka fatin atu deskansa iha dalan?" and "iha dalan ne'e?". "Iha estrada pédagio iha dalan ne'e?" already puts the existential "iha" and the locative "iha" in one sentence in exactly this way. "Dalan" means "road".

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