Tetun to English Dictionary

A

a: meaning. it is not too much to suggest that when a language dies
a horse; uma ida; a house, ema ida, a person; asu sira, the dogs; ema sira, the person, or the people.: kuda ida
a technology which: the world is adopting a new means of communication
a, like "a" in fatherb, as in englishd, as in englishe, like "e" in set or "a" in fakef, like "f" in fatherh, like "h" in harmi, like "ea" in teak, like "k" in kitel, like "l" in likem, as in englishn, as in englisho, like "o" in hot or not.p, as in englishr, like scottish rr with a roll of the tongues, like "s" in somet, as in englishu, like "w" in wake as first letter other letters like "oo" in boot: the approximate sounds of the alphabet are
aban: tomorrow
abandon, husik: leave
able, bele: can
above: leten
above, iha leten: at the top
abscess: fusyr
abut, ai abut: root
adjective), therefore the people who spoke the language: plains (tetu
afraid: ta'uk
after the departure of the australian troops.: the people very dearly in the revenge carried out by the japanese
afternoon: loraik
again: fali
agora (p), past tense particle, ona: now
ahi: fire
ahi hahan: cook by charring
ahi kose, ai kose: match
ahi lakan, lakan: flame
ahi oan: lamp
ahi suar: smoke
ahu: lime
ai bubur metin, ai bubur mutin: eucalyptus
ai dila: pawpaw tree
ai farina: cassava flour
ai fuan isin: edible portion of fruit
ai fuan kulit: fruit skin
ai fuan musan: fruit seed
ai fuan, fuan: flower
ai fuan, heart, fuan: fruit
ai fukun: knot in tree
ai funan kinas, kinas: petal
ai hun: tree base
ai kameli: sandalwood
ai kulit: bark of a tree
ai laran: forest
ai lele: dictionary english kdictionary english kprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english k kapok
ai lia: giner
ai like i in ice, ain, footei like e in below, teik, to stamp the feetoi like oy in boy, hakoi, to buryui like we, tafui, to spitau like ou in pound, baur, rainboweu like ew in sew, kakeu, a treeou like ow in bow, bou to heap: diphthongs (double vowel sounds)
ai lolon, hun: trunk of tree
ai los: straight tree
ai luka, ai farina: cassava
ai mahon, mahn: shade
ai manas: chilli
ai moruk: medicine
ai nar: rose
ai rahun: sawdust
ai sanak: branch of a tree
ai sar: broom
ai sarian: mahogany
ai suak: digging stick
ai sukat: measuring stick
ai tahan dikin: shoot
ai tahan okat: young leaf
ai tahan, tahan: leaf
ain fatin: footprint
ain hira: how many stick
ain, footei like e in below, teik, to stamp the feetoi like oy in boy, hakoi, to buryui like we, tafui, to spitau like ou in pound, baur, rainboweu like ew in sew, kakeu, a treeou like ow in bow, bou to heap: ai like i in ice
akar: sago
alin: younger brother
alin feto: younger sister
alive: mouris
all: it was not uncommon for a skilled lia na'in to recite for hours
all the relatives and: with his wife and children. after about a year
all, completed, too: hotu
already, foin: just
also called kreado: be to say the atan (slave) was an unpaid servant
alter, filak: change
although standardised spelling and grammar are still a matter, but may appear in loan words (i.e. introduced words.) some: language
alu, alun: pestle
always, ever: nafatin
amak: masculine
aman boot: uncle older than brother
aman kiik: uncle younger than brother
aman sarani: godfather
aman tuan: grandfather
aman-ikun, unclebere-loik, spiderbai-rua, day after tomorrow: hyphenated words are pronounced as two words, but the stress is on the last penultimate syllable
ami: we (exclusive)
ami ba atu hare basar.: ohin ne'e
ami hakarak atu ba uma kreda., today: ohin
ami hakarak atu hetan toba fatin ida de'it.: kalan ne'e
ami iha oan rua.: iha ha'u nia uma
amigu (p), belu: friend
amigu, friend (from portuguese amigo): are spelt phonetically
an, e, f, like "a" in fatherb, as in englishd, as in englishe, like "e" in set or "a" in fakef, like "f" in fatherh, like "h" in harmi, like "ea" in teak, like "k" in kitel, like "l" in likem, as in englishn, as in englisho, like "o" in hot or not.p, as in englishr, like scottish rr with a roll of the tongues, like "s" in somet, as in englishu, like "w" in wake as first letter other letters like "oo" in boot: a
ananas (p): pineapple
and also came from: who spent the first half of their lives in water
and divided the house into: female (all things in timor came in pairs)
and has been regarded: dialect of this area has been called tetun-los
and horses from the groom's family as well as gold and: (buffalo
and is incapable of controlling his actions: man is a spiller of blood
and not: much of my own timorese cultural knowledge may be historic
and nothing would persuade them to admit to being previously known by: serious misfortune so that the klamar would not know them any more
and that is all that is: australians. all the australians are safe
and the family: to live. in the animist religion there was no church
and the first weeks of my: of the democratic republic of east timor
and the initial gifts exchanged,: the terms had been agreed upon
and the intrusion of the neighbouring languages, has not made the task of what constitutes: number of of tetun dialects
and this is what they have: with 'm" where the phonetic sound is 'n'
and with the land came people to harvest it.: that grew sandalwood
and, with: ho
angry: si'ak
angry sea: tasi si'ak
angry, annoyed: hirus
anin: wind
anin boot, uarat: strong wind
anin fuik: cyclone
ankle ornaments baboo, horn trumpet babuku, snail, slug: babeta
another: ida seluk
another, seluk: other
answer, reply: hatan
answer, take, accept: simu
ant: nehek
antlers, dikur: horns
anyone: naran buat
appear: mosu
appearance, oin: dictionary english fdictionary english fprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english f face
arial, sans-serif;: font-family
arm: liman, liman kabon
arrow: rama isin
as a break or hiatus, and is indicated by '. it: tetun between vowels
as a means of better: produced to assist travellers to east timor
as only married men and women were: to become a full member of the clan
as the above languages: variation in the pronunciation and vocabulary
as the guests ate food supplied by the groom's relatives. when, similar, hanesa, hanesan: same
as well: iha mos ne'e ba
as well as wealth, but they do not: their social position and education
as well, nudar: as
as, as well: nudar
ash (see ahi nar) anin, wind anin boot, strong wind anin fuik, cyclone asu, dog asu (p), steel, hard: anar
ash ai, tree, wood, firewood ai abut, root ai balu, box, chest ai ben, ai uen, sap, juice, resin ai bubur metan, eucalyptus (black) ai dila, pawpaw tree ai dila fuan, pawpaw fruit ai farina, cassava flour ai fuan, fruit ai fuan isin, edible portion of fruit ai fuan kulit, fruit skin ai fuan musan, fruit seed ai funan, flower: ahu kresan
ashamed, moe: shy
ask: husu
assemble, collect: halibur
assemble, halibur: collect
asthma: masar, suhuk
astonish, frighten: halfodak
asu: dog
asu kutin, kutun: flea
at least: sarak
at the side: iha nia sourin
at the top, above: iha leten
at, on, in, iha: to
atan: slave
aten metan: liver
attempt, koko: try
atus: hundred
au: bamboo
au touhu: sugar cane
aunt older than mother: inan boot
aunt younger than mother: inan ki'ik
aunts, and cousins: close kinship is regarded to exist among the uncles
australia, october 2003: melbourne
awake: fanun, haer

B

baba: drum
babeta: ankle ornaments
baboo: horn trumpet
baburit: syringe
badaak: talc
badain ai: carpenter
badak: short
badak, short; habadak, to shorten; monu, to fall; hamonu, to drop; fodak, timid; hafodak, to startle. ha is a contraction of halo, thus halo badak is contracted to (>) habadak, literally 'make short'.ham-, han-particles prefixed to verbs, nouns, and adjectives to form verbs which: grass.ha-a causative prefix forming new verbs from verbs, nouns and adjectives
badaqin: tradesman
baer, baar: astringent taste
bag, sack: ka'ut
bain hira: when
bain, uain, loron: day
baku malu, tuku malu: fight
balada: domestic stock
bald: moulik, ulun moulik
baliu: axe
balu att: balu di'ak
balu, klaran: middle
bamboo flooring: hadak
bamboo water, vessel: kniku
banana: hudi
bani: bee
banin feto: mother-in-law
banin mane: father-in-law
banyan tree: hali
bare space: rai moulik
baria: bitter melon
bark of dog: hatenu
baruk: lazy
baruk teen: laziness
basar: market
base of anything, trunk of tree: hun
basket: kobarka
bat (animal): niki
batar fulin: corn cob
batar nurak: sweet corn
bathe: haris
baur: rainbow
bay leaf, loru tahan: laurel
be kolan: swamp
be matan: spring
be'u: thresh grain
be, ue: water
beach: dictionary tetun rdictionary tetun rprev chapter 6. dictionary tetun - english nextdictionary tetun r(p) = portuguese word (i) = indonesian word raat, tasi ibun
bean: forei
beard: ibun rahun
beautiful, kapas (p), goodness, kmanek, well, di'ak: good
because it is: thumbnail sketch of the psyche of east timorese culture
because of the lack of harsh guttural: chapter 3. pronunciationchapter 3. pronunciationprev   nextchapter 3. pronunciationtetun is a soft language
because this is the dialect i learnt as a soldier: based on tetun-los
bed bug: nati
before (time): molok
before, ulu, ulun, formerly, lai: first
begin: hahu
beik: stupid
bein: grandparent
belongings, sasan: goods
below: iha kraik, okos
beni ben: honey
bent, crooked: kleuk
bere lelik la'o tiha, bere: naton ona have the same meaning. 4. used as an interjection; di'ak ona, well, alright.example 4.3. tiha and tensetiha1. placed after the verb forms past tense
bero: canoe
besi: iron
besi asu, hard, asu (p): steel
betel leaf: malus tahan
bi'it: lift by fingers
bibi: goat
bibi malae: sheep
bibi rusa, rusa: deer
bidu, tebe dai: dance
bigaat, bad evilba-daak, rice powder: boot
biin: sister
biit: strength
bikan, hanek: plate
binatan: domestic animals
birak, brass, riti: copper
bird: manu
birth and marriage.: of death
bite: tata
biti: sleeping mat
black: metan
black and white: sarauk
bladder: mamiik
blind: delek
blood: ran
blow nose: suut
blow softly, huu: whisper
board, ai kebelak: plank
board, embark: sa'e ro
boat: ro
bobar: roll up
bobar, variegated, makerek: tricky
body: isin
body, lolon: mass
boek: shrimp
boil (water): nakali (be)
boil food: da'an
bok, feel, kokok, feel, lamas: touch
bokar, mahar: thick
bokun: wet
bokur, oil, mina: fat
bold;: font-weight
bolu: call out
bone: ruin
book: libru (p)
both: orbit of the animist religion all living things have souls
botil: bottle (p)
bottom, buttocks: kidun
bow: rama
boy: labarik mane
boy;kuda inan, mare;ai dila manen, male pawpaw (one that does not bear fruit)., young boy: oan mane
bracelet: kakelun
brain: kakutak
branch: sanak
breadfruit: kulu
break: kotu
breast: susu
breath: iis
brother: maun
brother-in-law: rian
brush, kose: wipe
bua: beten nut
buan: royalty). interspersed were matan dook (doctor), sorcerer
buat ruma: something
buat, ting: thing
buffalo: karau
bull: karau uaka aman
bullet: kilat fuan
bunch: fulin
burn, sunu: scorch
bury: hakoi
bus, kareta (p): truck
busa: cat
but: mai be
but as food for the invited guests. feasts were held to celebrate: animals were never sacrificed as a tribute to any religious ceremony
but can be made either by the insertion of "ida" for singular, "sira" for plural: nouns are both singular and plural
but for practical purposes they are seldom used as most people using larger numbers do so in the portuguese or indonesian systems.prev up nextparticles and participles home chapter 6. dictionary tetun - english: understood and transposable to other decimal systems. table 5.1. "decimal system"1 ida2 rua3 tolu4 haat5 lima6 neen7 nitu8 ualu9 sia10 sanulu11 sanulu resin ida21 ruanulu resin ida100 atus ida 246 atus rua haatnulu resin neen1000 ruhan idalarger numbers exist
but had the: known as kukulasak. in natural form she was an old woman
but in 1976 was: 450 years the area has been known as portuguese timor
but is now being: regarded as the lingua franca in portuguese times
but it still existed, even though it had been outlawed: benign practice
but it would be a mistake to regard the culture is in any: standards
but masculinity and femininity may be expressed by adding the following words to the noun:: nouns have no formal gender
but may give the meaning of another tense by the context of sentence;example 4.1. tense in verbs nia ba basar aban, he will go to the market tomorrow; nia ba basar horisek, he went to the market yesterday.tense may also be indicated by tense particles: past tense ona, tiha future tense sei since all these particles can be used in other ways, examples are given of their use. example 4.2. ona and tenseona1. placed after the verb to form past tense: ami ha ona, we ate; mau bere ba ona baukau, mau bere went to baukau. ona in this use always indicates the immediate past (a short time ago).2. placed after the word (not a verb) it qualifies to denote a recently: tense of verbs tense of verbs prev chapter 4. grammar nexttense of verbs all verbs are naturally in the present tense
but the grammar and syntax are still: definitions for individual words
but the most: their heads. there were a number of traditional patterns
but the stress is on the last penultimate syllable:: hyphenated words are pronounced as two words
but this dictionary is: expertise and a number of regional dialects
but usually male. a buan had a religious standing in the: female
buttocks, kidun: bottom
buu, kbuu: sack
buu, kbuu, sack: some words are pronounced differently in two or more districts
buy: sosa

C

calf: karau uaka oan
calm sea: tasi maus
camp: hakmahan
can not: la bele
canberra 2601, australia. (catalogue, series c, no 83.): 4
candlenut tree: kmii
cape: rai inus, tasi inus
capsicum: kunus
car: karo (p)
cargo, goods: nahan
carry: lebo, louri
carry, hodi: take
casuarina tree: kakeu
cave: fatu kuak
center;: text-align
certainly: tetebes
change, alter: filka
changed to, examples: letter
charm, spell: horok
chase: duuni
chest: hirus matan
chest, ai balu: box
chew: nata
chief: sebi (p)
child: oan
chin, hasan: jaw
christian: sarani
church: kreda, uma kreda
clay, tahu: mud
clean; also too: mos
cleanse: hamos
clever: matenek
climb, rise, mount, go up: sa'e
close, besik, close, rabat: near
close, taka, cork up, sulan: shut
cloth: hena
clothes: ropa (p)
clothes, get dressed: hatais
cloud: kalohan
cockatoo, pliers: kakatua
cockfighting: manu futu
coconut: nuu
coffee: kafe
cold: malairin
cold weather: rai malirin
collect, raut: gather
comb: sasuit
come: mai
come back: mai fali
compassion: sadia
conscience: neon
content based xml format (docbook xml version 4.2). secondary objectives were to pickup obvious spelling and layout problems.changes made to the structure of the document were limited to identifying structural levels such as chapters and examples. titles were added to major document sections.primary tools used were xemacs and dillo: portable
continually, beibeik: often
cook: tein
copper, brass: riti
corral, luhan kuda luhan: stable
correct: halo los
cost, folin: price
cotton: kabas
cotton ball: kabas fatuk
cotton thread: kabas lahan
cough: me'ar
count: sura
courtyard: luan
crazy, bulak: mad
cricket (insect): kela
crocodile: lafaek
crooked, kleuk: bent
crow: kaoa
crush, fai: pound
cry: tanis
cry tears: luun turu
cut: ko'a, tesi
cut (garden), lere: trim
cut, chop: taa

D

da'an: boil food
dader: early morning
dadinis: mane of horse
dadolin: verse in two lines
dahur: detain, song sung at gatherings
dala ida: once
dalan ba dili iha ne'e be?: ita bele hatudu ba ha'u
dambua: grapefruit
dambua, grapefruit: jambua
dance: tebe dai
dark: nakukun, rai nakudu
darling, dear: doben
dasa: sweep
dato: noble class
daughter-in-law: feto foun
daun: needle
dawn: loron naroman
day: loron
daylight, not dark: naroma
de'it, alone, mesa, mesak: only
dead: mate
deaf: diuk
dear, doben: darling
decapitate: taa ulun
deceive, bosok: lie
deer: rusa
defend: souri
defend oneself: souri-an
deformed, oin aat: dictionary english udictionary english uprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english u ugly
dehan, speak, talk, say: hateten
delek: blind
derok masin, saburaka siin, subraka siin: lemon
desire, hakarak: want
destroy: sobu
destroy, rip up: sele
detain: dadur
dew: kmaha
didin: wall
different: oin seluk
difficult: susar
dig: ke'e
dikin: leaf tip
dima: spear
dinela (p): window
dinner: jantar (p)
dirty: fo'er
disc: kbelak
discard, soe: throw away
discharge of gun, tiru: shot
discover, hetan: find
distant, dook: far
diuk: deaf
divide: fahe
divide, nahe: spread out
dodok: rotten
dog flea atan, slave aten metan, liver atus, hundred au, bamboo au touhu, sugarcane prev up nextchapter 5. numerals home dictionary tetun b: asu kutin
domingu (p): sunday
don't want, refuse: lakoi
door: oda matan
dormant, ignition off: matek
down: kraik
dowry gift: osan naran
drag, dada, jerk, fokit: pull
dream: mehi
drink: hemu
drum: baba
drunk: lanu
dry: maran
dry weather: rai maran
duck: manu rade
dudu: push
dukur: sleep
dulas: twist
duni: chase
dust: uut
dust; fate: rahun
duut: grass

E

e.g. fahi sira, the pigs.: a/the pig. the plural article is formed by adding "sira"
e.g. ha'u asun, my dog. ha'u nian, ha'un, ha'uk, nian, ninian etc. are used as possessive pronouns where there is no noun at the end of a: nia can be dropped when the known ends a vowel provided n or k is added to the end of the noun
e.g. nia nia asu or ninia asu, 'his dog, her dog'. in conversation: dog. nia nia 'his' is normally shortened to ninia
ea: h
each one: ida ida
eagle, makikit: kite
ear of rice: hare fulin
early morning: dader
earn, manan: win
earthquake: rai nakdodo
earthworm: lalatik
easy, not difficult: la tos
eat: ha
editor: obvious errors which is inevitable when an individual is author
egg (hen): mantolun
eight: ualu
ema: person
ema rai (common people), dato (nobility and: then atan (slaves)
embark, sa'e ro: board
embrace: hafulak
emphatic particle: ha'e
empty, hollow: mamuk
english to tetun, languages by region: english to tetun
enter, go in: tama
enter, insert: hatama
eravila (p): pea
error, sin, sala: fault
eskola (p): school
especially if they: heritage will find the tetun-prasa version easier
especially leading questions, merely because most people: questions
especially plump, naughty: children that witches like to eat people
especially those: plant and animal. evil spirits came from creatures
especially when it rains. the total area of timor is nearly 3,000: most unlikely angles. they are always steep with fast running streams
especially where tetun is: interchangeable from district to district
etu: rice (cooked)
evil: laran aat
evil, aat: dictionary english b dictionary english b prev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english b bad
exactly: nu'u ne'e duni
except tetun-dili, which has speakers: is spoken is very restricted
excreta: te
extract: sui
extremity, rohan: tip
eye, lid: matan
eyebrow: matan fukun
eyelid: matan kulit

F

f, baku faku u, b, lauarik labarik: b
fa'an: sell
face, appearance: oin
fahe: divide
fahi: pig
fali: again
fall: monu
faluk: widowed
falun, package, futun: parcel
falur, laketeu: pigeon
far away: iha dook
far, distant: dook
farina (p): flour
faru, ropa (p), get dressed, hatais: clothes
fase, wash: fasi
fasi mos: wash clean
fasi, fase: wash
fasten, tie: kesi
fatu kuak: cave
fault, error, sin: sala
feather, fulun: hair (of body)
feel: horon katak
fehuk: tuber of all kinds
fehuk mida: sweet potato
fehuk ropa: potato
feik: old woman
feminine: fetok
fen: wife (impolite)
fence: lutu
fence in: le'u
feto: woman
feto faluk: widow
feto foun: daughter-in-law
feto ran: virgin
fetok: feminine
fever: isin malarin, isin manas
fila: turn
find, discover,: hetan
finger: liman fuan
finger nail: liman kukuun
firearm: kilat
firefly, glow worm: kiti lili
firm, metin: sold
first, formerly: lai
fish: ikan
fish hook: ka'i lisin, kail
fishing net: redi
fisur: abscess
fitun: star
five: lima
flame: lakan
flea: kutun
float: lele
flow: suli
flower: funan
fly: semo
fly (insect): lalar
fo: give
fo'er: dirty
foam of sea: furin
fodak: timid
fog: rai ahu
foho rai: python
foho, rai foho: mountain
food: han
food, nourishment: hahan
foot, ain: leg
forehead: rentos
forei: bean
forei keli: soya bean
forei rai: peanut
foreigner, malae: stranger
forget: haluha
fork: garfu (p)
formerly, in the past: uluk
fos: rice (husked)
four: haat
frankston,: stories - "land of the sleeping crocodile" at 3 hoadley av
friend (from portuguese amigo): amigu
frighten, hakfodak: astonish
frog: kedo, manduko
from (place): housi
from (time): houri
from luka in the east to alas in the: central south coast of east timor
fruit, heart: fuan
fruitful, fuak: pimply
fui: pour liquid
fukit: pull out
fulin: bunch
full: nakonu
fuma (p): smoke tobacco
funu: war
furin: foam of sea
futu: tie up
future particle: sei
fuuk: hair of head

G

g, j, q, v, w, x, y, z are not normally used in: note: the letters c
gallop: hopu
garfu (p): fork
garlic: lis asu
garment: tais
gather, collect: raut
gather, ku'u: pick
gecko: teki
genitals (female): hu'in
gentle, mamar: soft
get out, souruk: go away
giblet: kulan
girl: labarik feto
girth: kuda hetin
give: fo
give birth: hahouris
glowing coal, ahi anar: ember
go away, get out: souruk
go in, tama, insert, hatama: enter
go out: sai
go, proceed, go off ba, at, in, on, to, for: dictionary tetun bdictionary tetun bprev chapter 6. dictionary tetun - english nextdictionary tetun b(p) = portuguese word (i) = indonesian word ba
go, walk, travel, to walk > mala'ok, traveller, hatete, to talk > matetek, speaker; fuak, fruitful > mafuak, fruiting tree.: la'o
gold: murak, osan mean
good: maromak
good, capable, beautiful: kapas (p)
good, goodness: kmanek
good, well: di'ak
goods, belongings: sasan
goods, nahan: cargo
goose: manu rade boot
gosta (p): like
govern, rule: ukun
gpo box: from pacific linguistics at the australian national university
grandfather ami, we (exclusive) amigu (p), friend: aman tuan
grandmother: ina ferik
grapefruit: dambua
grasp, drive car, kair: hold
grass: duut
grass variety, grassmalae, foreignersasoe, palm leaf capelaleo, hutkuleo, seasicknesskakae, cockatoo: hae
grave: rate
greedy: kan
green snake: samodo
green, unripe: matak
green, yellow: modok
grey: malahuk
groin: kelen solan, solan
ground, land, earth, world: rai
guard: rai hela
guess: si'ik
guru (i), mestre (p): teacher

H

ha: eat
ha'e, mak, maka: emphatic particle
ha'u: i
ha'u kba atu hare basar, i go to see the marketduaduana particle following the verb indicating that the action is still: construction changes; suki nakenak rasik nia an, or suki nakenak nia an rasik, suki wounds himself. atu-placed (be)for the verb to indicate purpose or intention
ha'u nain: mine
ha-re, to seeha-fi-la, to returnha-lu-ha, to forgetba-bu-rit, a syringehak-fi-lak, to alternak-fu-nan, to become mouldya-ru-ma, some (mostly said as ru-ma)ku-ak, holeis-in, bodyba-dain, tradesmanka-rau, buffalorai, earth: capital letters denote stress
haas: mango
haat: four
hadak: bamboo flooring
hader: awake
hadi'ak: improve
hae: grass variety
haemorrhoids: kidun mean
hafetu: kick
hafetu, to kick > mafetuk, kicker; kair, to hold > makair lulik, the keeper of the sacred house;: practises the verb's action
hafila, go home, fila fali: return
hafoin udan besik ona.: anin maka'as
hafulak: embrace
hahanek, injure, kanek: wound
hahouris: give birth
hahu: begin
hair (of body), feathers: fulun
hair of head: fuuk
hakat: span of hand
hakdirun: palm of hand
hakfuik, kfui: whistle
haklalak, yell, hakilar: shout
hakmahan: camp
hakoi: bury
haksi'ak: rowdy
haksoit: jump
haksolok: happy
halai: run away
hali: banyan tree
halibur: assemble
halimar, joga (p): play
halo los: correct
halter, harness, rope: kuda tailn
haluha: forget
ham- and han- are interchangeable.lerek particle placed after verbs to indicate a state of rest, abandonment,: laha, hunger > hamlaha, to be hungry. note
hamlaha: hungry
hamlet, village: knua
hamnasa: laugh
hamonu: drop
hamos: cleanse
hamrook: thirsty
hamsumik, conceal, subar, leather, karau kulit, skin, bark, kulit: hide
hamutu, hamutuk: together
hamutuk, together: hamutu
han, nourishment, hahan: food
hananu: sing
hanesan, same, similar: hanesa
hanourin: teach
happy: haksolok
hare: rice
hare fulin: ear of rice
hare kain: rice stem
hare natar: rice paddy
haris: bathe
harkerek: write
harness, kuda talin: halter
harrow weed: faho
hasai: take away
hatenu: bark of dog
haunch, hindquarters: kidan
have, possess, iha: is
he also published a more: his life. in addition to this phrase book
he came to the seashore (infers: or permanence: nia mai lerek tasi ibun
he killed himself.when used with rasik means 'own' or 'self' the: particles and participlesparticles and participlesprev chapter 4. grammar nextparticles and participles-anparticles placed after the verb to give it a reflexive meaning:nia oho an
he learned how the friendship so freely given in 1942 had cost: peter
he, possessive particle: nia
head: ulun
headache: ulun moras
hear: rona
hein: dictionary english wdictionary english wprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english wwait
hemu: drink
hena: cloth
here: iha ne'e
hide: haksumik
hide, conceal: subar
hide, leather: karau kulit
hide, skin, bark: kulit
high tide: tasi nakonu
high, tall aat, bad, evil aban, tomorrow abut, rootagora (p), now ahi, fireahi anar, ember, glowing coal ahi hahan, cook by charring ahi kelan, ash ahi kose, ai kose, match ahi lakan, flame ahi oan, lamp ahi suar, smoke ahu, lime: dictionary tetun kdictionary tetun ldictionary tetun mdictionary tetun ndictionary tetun odictionary tetun rdictionary tetun sdictionary tetun t dictionary tetun u(p) = portuguese word (i) = indonesian word dictionary tetun aaas
hili: pick up
hillock, mound: rai kaburbur
hillside: rai sadere
hindquarters, kidan: hunch
hirus matan: chest
hitu: seven
hold, grasp, drive car: kair
hole: kuak, rai kuak
hollow log for grinding: lesu
hollow, mamuk: empty
hook, girlfriend: ka'it
hopu: dictionary english g dictionary english g prev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english g gallop
horn, antlers: dikur
horon: smell
horon katak: feel
hot: manas
hot weather: rai manas
hotu: completed
hotu, tomak: all
hour, time: oras
houri: from (time)
house building, feasts, and the animist religious ceremonies: harvesting
house roof: uma kakuluk
house ruins: uma krebek
house thatch: uma talin
housi: from (place)
how many, how much: hira
how much, hira: how many
hu'in: genitals female
hudi: banana
hun: base of anything
hunger, hunger > hamlaha, to be hungry. note: ham- and han- are interchangeable.lerek particle placed after verbs to indicate a state of rest, abandonment,: laha
hungry: hamlaha
hunt: soro
husar: navel
husband: la'en
husu: ask
husu lia: question

I

i: ha'u
i also: in addition to the transcription
i go. 1st pers. sing., use letter k, ha'u ka i eat ha'u kba i go 2nd pers. sing., use letter m, o ma you eat 2nd pers. sing. (polite)., use letter h, ita ha you eat 3rd pers. sing., use letter n, nia na he eats 1st pers. pl. (inc)., use letter h, ami ha 2nd person. pl. (exc)., use letter h, ita ha we eat 3rd person pl., use letter r, sira ra they eat 3rd person pl. (belu), use letter r, sia ra they eat: literally 'girl shy'. verbs beginning with h and o change with person. other verbs prefix k for the first person singular; ha'u kba
i me, ha'u2nd pers. sing., you you (polite), o ita3rd pers. sing., he she her it, nia 1st pers. pl., we us (exclusive) we us (inclusive), ami ita 2nd pers. pl., you, imi emi 3rd pers. pl., they them they (tetum-belu), sira sia: 1st pers. sing.
i.e. by omitting the last consonant in the: some words express emphatic degrees of the meaning by partial repetition
ibun: mouth
ibun kulit: lip
ibun rahun: beard
ida: one, the
ida de'it: one only
ida ida: dictionary english e dictionary english e prev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english e each one
ida ne'e be: which who
ida ne'e duni: this definitely
ida ne'e mai, this, ida ne'e: this one
ida seluk: another
ignition off, matek: dormant
iha dook: far away
iha karuk: on left
iha kidun: on the bottom
iha klaran: in middle
iha kraik, okos: below
iha leet: in between
iha liman los: on right
iha mos ne'e ba: as well
iha ne'e: here
iha ne'e be: where
iha ne'e be?: ami nia toba fatin
iha ne'eba: there
iha nia oin: in front of
iha nia sourin: at the side
iha okos: underside
iha tutin: on top
iis: breath
ikan: fish
ikun: dictionary english tdictionary english tprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english t tail
ikus: last
imi: you (plural)
imi nian: yours
immature, nurak, single nobleman, klosan: young
improve: hadi'ak
in between: iha leet
in front of: iha nia oin
in middle: iha klaran
in some areas: another being with supernatural power was the witch
in the original page 67: and responsible for publication. for example
in the past, uluk: formerly
in, on, to, for, ba: at
ina ferik: grandmother
inan boot: aunt older than mother
inan ki'ik: aunt younger than mother
includes those being spoken to: pronoun subjects and objects are not distinguished in tetun. 'we' and 'us' inclusive
increase: tautan
india corn, batar: maize
indicate, show way: hatudu
inside: iha laran
inside, conscience: laran
insult: tarata
inus: nose
inus been, kuus: snot
invite: tene
iron pot: sanan besi
is, have, possess, to at, on, in: iha
isin: body
isin malrin, isin manas: fever
isulinu sei dauk mai, isulinu will not come. note:: used with la, lae)
it was: of paulo quintao da costa who authenticated the word list
it's 27th province.: annexed by indonesia as timor timur (east timor)
ita nia: our
ita nian: ours
italic;: font-style
itchy, katar: scratch
iu: shark

J

jackfruit: kulu naka
jajey: casuarina tree
jantar (p): dinner
jaw, chin: hasan
job, knaar: work
joga surat (i): play cards
juice, resin, ai ben, ai uen: sap
juice, sap, been: liquid
jump: haksoit
just, already: foin

K

k, gabriel kabrielg, d, gentio dentiuc, k, cafe kafec or cceil;, s, ac u asuch, s, cha, sa qu, k, viqueque, ue kekev, u, vaca uaka or baka z, s, zeferino seferino: g
ka: or
ka'an: sister-in-law
ka'i lisin, kail: fish hook
kabas: cotton
kabas fatuk: cotton ball
kabas lahan: cotton thread
kabeer: smooth
kaben: wife (polite)
kabuk, kou'us: pregnant
kabun: stomach
kabun dulas, kabun moras: stomach ache
kadeli: ring
kadi: sharpen
kado: saw
kafe: coffee
kakatua: cockatoo; pliers
kakelun: bracelet
kaku, kuku: owl
kakuluk: roof
kalan: night
kalen: tin
kalohan: cloud
kan: greedy
kanuru: spoon
kaoa: crow
karau: buffalo
karau nia dikur: expression of possessionpossession is shown in nouns by placing nia between the possessor and the person or thing possessed
karau uaka: oxen
karau uaka aman: bull
karau uaka oan: dictionary english cdictionary english cprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english c calf
karo (p): car
karudu: mint
karuk: left
katuas: old man
kba-but, troublemakerkbe-lak, disckdo-ran, water vessel: in such a way to be barely distinguishable
kbas, kebas: shoulder
kbelak, belak: disc
kbuu, sack, kbuu, sack prev up nextchapter 6. dictionary tetun - english home dictionary tetun d: buu
kdoran: water vessel
ke'e: dig
kebas, shoulder: kbas
kedan, kedas: immediately
kedas, immediately, at once: kedan
kedo: frog
keep quiet, nonook: silent
kelen: thigh
kelen solan, solan: groin
keta, ketak: don't
ketak, don't: keta
kfoli: loin-cloth
kick: hafetu
kick by horse: kuda lubun
kidney: maksourin
kidun mean: dictionary english hdictionary english hprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english hhaemorrhoids
kilat: firearm
kilat fuan: bullet
kill: oho
king: liurai
kinu: yellow
kinur: saffron
kiss: muu
kiss hand: re'i liman
kite, eagle: makikit
kiti lili: firefly
kiukae: dictionary english q dictionary english q prev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english q quail
kleur: long time
kluni: pillow
kmaha: dew
kmaus: rich
kmii: candlenut tree
knife: taha
kniku: bamboo water vessel
knuuk: nest
ko'a, tesi, chop, taa: cut
ko-'-a, to cut na-'-uk, to stealbe-'-u, to thresh grain: can be described as a click at the back of the throat
kobarka: basket
koje: purse
kokorok: neck
kolar: smallpox
kole, kolen: tired; wages
kolen, tired; wages: kole
kona: towards
kosar: sweat
kotu, fracture, tohar: break
kou'us: cuddle
kraik, descend, tun: down
kreda, uma kreda: church
kuak, rai kuak: hole
kuana, correct, straight, los: right
kuda: horse
kuda kotuk: saddle bag
kuda lubun: kick by horse
kuik, kurita: dictionary english odictionary english oprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english ooctopus
kulan: giblet
kulu: breadfruit
kulu naka: jackfruit
kumus: capsicum
kurita, octopus: kuik
kuru: scoop water
kusa: dictionary english n dictionary english n prev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english n nail
kuta hetin: girth

L

l: k
la bele: can not
la buat ida, la-os: nothing
la dun barak: not much
la dun, few, little: dun
la ida, la iha: none
la los: wrong
la to'o: lacking
la'en: husband
la-ua-rik, youth (la-ba-rik)ua-ni, honeybee (ba-ni) ue, water (be): district
labadain: spider
labarik feto: girl
labarik mane: boy
labarik, lauarik: youth
lacking: la to'o
lae): isulinu sei dauk mai, isulinu will not come. note:: used with la
lae, no, not: la
lafaek: crocodile
lafatik: winnowing basket
laha: hunger
lahan: thread
lahat: net for shrimps
laho: rat
lake: naliun, rebu
lakeru: pumpkin
lakon: lost
laku: possum
lalais (lailais) prev up nextdictionary english p  home dictionary english r: quickly
lalar: fly (insect)
lalatik: earthworm
lalehan: sky
lalika: unnecessary
laloron: wave
land, earth, world, rai: ground
lanten: sleeping area
lanu: drunk
lapis (p): pencil
laran: inside
laran aat: evil
laran makerek: treacherous
laran moras, moras, but is well know.3. placed after the word it qualifies as an adverb, meaning "enough",: sick
large, boot: big
lasan: penis
lasan fuan: testicles
last: ikus
later: liu tiha
lauarik, youth: labarik
laugh: hamnasa
le'u: fence in
leaf: tahan
leaf tip: dikin
lean against, support: sadere
leave, abandon: husik
lebo, louri: carry
leet, gap, space, between: let
left: karuk
leg, foot ain fatin, footprint ain hira, how many sticks ai sukat, measuring stick aka, sago: ain
leke mauk moras, mai be di'ak ona, leke mauk was: completed action
leki berek halai tiha ona, leki berek has run away.4. as a verb, to fish with a net:: tiha fila soro, would mean instead he went hunting3. placed before ona it indicates that the action is completely finished
leki berek has run away.4. as a verb, to fish with a net:: leki berek halai tiha ona
leki mauk is cutting the: leki mauk lere daudaun du'ut
leki mauk lere daudaun du'ut, leki mauk is cutting the: continuing
leki nahak la ba basar, nia ba tiha soro, leki nahak did not go to: uma, mau leto went home (some time ago).2. placed after the word it qualifies, to give the meaning of 'instead of'
lekirauk: monkey
lele: float
lelenok: mirror
lemon: derok masin, saburaka siin, subraka siin
lemu: travel about
lena: sesame
lenuk: turtle
lesu: hollow log for grinding
leten: chapter 7. "english to tetun"chapter 7. "english to tetun"prev   nextchapter 7. "english to tetun"table of contentsdictionary english adictionary english b dictionary english cdictionary english d dictionary english e dictionary english fdictionary english g dictionary english hdictionary english i dictionary english j dictionary english kdictionary english l dictionary english m dictionary english n dictionary english odictionary english p dictionary english q dictionary english rdictionary english s dictionary english tdictionary english udictionary english vdictionary english wdictionary english ydictionary english aabove
letter, book, surat: paper
level, belar: flat
lia suik: secret
libru: book (p)
lid, matan: eye
light rain: udan rahun
light, not heavy: kmaan
like: gosta (p)
like very much, hadomi: love
lilin: wax
lima: five
liman fuan: finger
liman kukun: finger nail
liman tanen: palm
liman, liman kabon: arm
lip: ibun kulit
lipa: sarong
liquid, juice, sap beibeik, often, continually beik, stupid bein, grandparent belak, disc belar, flat, level bele, can, able belu, friend bero, canoe besi, iron besi asu, steel besik, near, close: been
lis asu: garlic
lis bot: onion
lit. hold tight the horse): farewell. (by horse
lit. see the road well): farewell. (by foot
literally meaning lord of words), who could without: (also na'i lia
little, dun, la dun: few
little, small: ki'ik
little, uit oan: small
liu: superlative
liu tiha: later
liur: outside
liur fatin, sentina (p): toilet
liurai: king
live, stay, remain: hela
loin-cloth: kfoli
loja (p): shop
loke, bare, a shred, kles: open
long: naruk
long time: kleur
long time ago: keleur ona
look for, buka: seek
look, hare: see
loraik: afternoon
loro: sun
loro lor: south
loro manas, loro mnatutun: midday
loro rai: north
loro sa'e: sunrise
loron hira?: ami bele hela iha ne'e
loron naroman: dawn
loron ne'e, ohin, we are going to see the market.: today
loru tahan, laurel tree, bay leaf: loru
lost: lakon
love, like very much: hadomi
low tide: tasti tun
luan: courtyard
luka in the east, and: along the south coast between betano in the west
lulik: sacred
lutu: fence
luun: tears
luun turu: cry tears

M

mai: come
mai be: but
mai be di'ak ona, leke mauk was: completed action: leke mauk moras
mai fali: come back
maize, indian corn batar fulin, corn cob batar nurak, sweet corn baur, rainbow be, ue, water be kolan, swamp be matan, spring: batar
mak-particles prefixed to verbs to form nouns denoting the agent which: that he went no further than the seashore) ma-
maka, empathic particle: mak
make, work, construct, do: halo
maksourin: kidney
malahuk: grey
male of animals, aman: father
male, mane: man
malirin, wet and dry, good and bad, up and down, sky and earth, etc. which: cold
maluk: relatives
malus tahan: betel leaf
mamiik: bladder
man, male: mane
manas: hot
mandarin: subraka lotuk
mane of horse: dadinis
mango: haas
mantolun: egg (hen)
manu: bird
manu futu: cockfighting
manu rade: duck
manu rade boot: goose
many, muchbaria, bitter melon baruk, lazy baruk teen, laziness: barak
maran: dry
market: basar
maromak: god
marriage (from indonesian berlaki): barlake
marriage between first cousins is not frowned: in our western culture
masar, suhuk: asthma
masin: salt
masin midar: sugar
mass, body: lolon
mast: ro rii
matan dook: doctor (native)
matan fukun: eyebrow
matan kulit: eyelid
matan oan: pupil
mate: dead
mate klamar: spirit (of dead)
matenek: clever
mau leto went home (some time ago).2. placed after the word it qualifies, to give the meaning of 'instead of': leki nahak la ba basar, nia ba tiha soro, leki nahak did not go to, house: uma
mau, mauk: male of names
mauk, male of names: mau
maun: brother
maus: tame
maybe, perhaps: kal
maybe, perhaps, if: karik
me'ar: cough
mean: red
measure: sukat
meat: dictionary tetun ndictionary tetun nprev chapter 6. dictionary tetun - english nextdictionary tetun n(p) = portuguese word (i) = indonesian word na'an
meda: small marsupial
mehi: dream
meias (p): sock
mend, sew: suku
mesak, only, alone: mesa
metan: black
midar: sweet
midday: loro manas, loro natuntun
middle: klaran
mihis: thin
mii: urinate
milk: susu ben
mine: ha'u nain
mint: karudu
mirror: lalenok
mistress: nona
modo: vegetable
modo ben: soup
money: osan
monkey: lekirauk
month, fulan: moon
monu: fall
moon, month: fulan
morangu (p): strawberry
more: resin
more, again, more; find: tan
more, too much: liu tan
mortar: nesun
mos: too
mosquito: susuk
most of which belongs to indonesia.: archipelago
mostly as: consonants are sometimes prefixed to root words
mosu: appear
mota: river
mota ain: river (lower reaches)
mota ibun: river mouth
mota suli: river bed
mould: utur
mouldy: nakfunan
moulik, ulun moulik: bald
moumousis, alive. also refer to: words which require emphasis repeat the first syllable of the word as a prefix: mouris
mound, rai kaburbur: hillock
mount, go up, sa'e: climb
mountain: foho, rai foho
mountain foot: rai hun
mourin: scent
mouris: alive
mouris, moumousis, alive. also refer to: words which require emphasis repeat the first syllable of the word as a prefix
mout: sink
mouth: dictionary tetun idictionary tetun iprev chapter 6. dictionary tetun - english nextdictionary tetun i(p) = portuguese word (i) = indonesian word ibun
move: muda (p)
mr. morris recalled his debt and agitated for basic medical: 1975
much, barak: many
mud, clay: tahu
muda (p): move
murak, osan mean: gold
musan: seed
muta: vomit
mutin: white
mutual, reciprocal: malu
muu: kiss

N

na'an: meat
na'i, na'in: sir (polite title)
na'uk: steal
nafatin: always
nag, tolok: complain
nail: kusa
nak: hak
nakdedar: tremble
nakdoko: rattle
nakfunan: mouldy
nakonu: full
nakunun: dark
naliun, rebu: lake
name: naran
nanal: tongue
nani, nanin: swim
nanin swim: nani
naran: name
naran buat: anyone
naran ida: whoever
narrow, kloot: tight
naruk: long
nasal mucus > hamkuss, to have a cold;: something);kuus
nata: chew
natar: paddy field
nati: bead bug
native doctor: matan dook
navel: husar
ne'e ba, those, ida ne'e ba: that
ne'e di'ak ona, that is good enough, also to'o ona and: "sufficient"
ne'e duni, so, then, hafoin: therefore
ne'e mai: these
near, close: rabat
neck: kokorok
neck, throat: kakorok
needle: daun
neen: six
nehan: tooth
nehek: ant
neineik: slow
neon: conscience
nest: knuuk
nesun: mortar
net for shrimps: lahat
never saw the re-establishment of an independent east timor. mr.: 1998
never through the mouth or genital orifices. not all: nose or eyes
never to be seen again. some parents even told their: taking them away
nevertheless there will be enough of the old culture left to open the: deprecated because of events that have occurred since 1975
new, young: foun
nia mai lerek tasi ibun, he came to the seashore (infers: or permanence
nia oho an, he killed himself.when used with rasik means 'own' or 'self' the: particles and participlesparticles and participlesprev chapter 4. grammar nextparticles and participles-anparticles placed after the verb to give it a reflexive meaning
nice, furak: tasty
night: kalan
niki: bat
nine: sia
nipple: susu matan
noble class: dato
noise, lian: voice
nona: mistress
none: la ida, la iha
north: loro ruai
nose: inus
not any, laek: without
not dark, naroma: daylight
not difficult, la tos: easy
not heavy, kmaan: light
not long, la kleur: soon
not long, soon: lakleur
not much: la dun barak
not translatable: ha'e an emphatic particle stressing the word it precedes
not yet: sei dauk
not, la, lae: no
nothing: la buat ida, la-os
noun). there can be no argument as to the: were of the plains (tetun
nouns and adjectives:badak, short; habadak, to shorten; monu, to fall; hamonu, to drop; fodak, timid; hafodak, to startle. ha is a contraction of halo, thus halo badak is contracted to (>) habadak, literally 'make short'.ham-, han-particles prefixed to verbs, nouns, and adjectives to form verbs which: grass.ha-a causative prefix forming new verbs from verbs
now; past tense particle: ona
nu'u ne'e duni: exactly
nu'u sa, because, tan ba: why
nuu: coconut

O

o: you (singular)
oan: child
oan fatin: uterus
oan feto: young girl
oan kiak: orphan
oan mane: young boy
obey, tuir: follow
obrigado (p): thanks
octopus: kurita
oda matan: door
odan, pace, hakat ain: step
oe, eo are pronounced slightly open and are articulated as two syllables.: final ae
of course, were the work of an evil spirit. the same was said if the: race to reap the crops before the rats consumes the year's crop. rats
of which what is provided in mr. morris' book is but one: variation
often overlooked, the metaphorical: recognition of symbolic values and
oho: kill
oin kraik: sad
oin seluk: different
old man: katuas
old woman: ferik
on foot, walk only: la'o de'it
on left: iha karuk
on right: iha kuana, iha liman los
on the bottom: iha kidun
on top: iha tutin
once: dalan ida
one only: ida de'it
onion: lis bot
only: de'it
oo: w
open: loke
open, bare; a shred: kles
opposite side: sourin balu
or: ka
or deserted, and so on it went. the real art was to: alone = loneliness
or failed for any other reason, like too much: plants became diseased
or horn of (the) buffalo (literally: 'buffalo-his-horn');kuda nia ain, horse's leg, or leg of horse: (buffalo's horn)
or nia ba: the market; instead he went hunting. nia ba fila tiha soro
or suki nakenak nia an rasik, suki wounds himself. atu-placed (be)for the verb to indicate purpose or intention: ha'u kba atu hare basar, i go to see the marketduaduana particle following the verb indicating that the action is still: construction changes; suki nakenak rasik nia an
or those who had an alliance with: those who had a debt owing to them
orange: derok, sabruka, saburaka, subraka
orphan: oan kiak
orphan, kiak: poor
osan: money
osan mutin, and from the bride's family goats, pigs and cloth) the two: silver
osan naran: dowry gift
other, another: seluk
otherwise they had no protection against any klamar. also each person: these articles should follow each person throughout their life
our: ita nia
ours: ita nian
outside: liur
overseas: tasi balun
owl: kaku
oxen: karau uaka

P

paddy field: natar
palm: liman tanen
palm of hand: hakdirun
paper, letter, book: surat
parcel: falun
parcel, package: futun
part, half, balu: some
particularly those with a verbal sense. prev up nextchapter 4. grammar home personal pronouns: are formed by prefixing "hak" but mostly "nak"
past tense ona, tiha future tense sei since all these particles can be used in other ways, examples are given of their use. example 4.2. ona and tenseona1. placed after the verb to form past tense: ami ha ona, we ate; mau bere ba ona baukau, mau bere went to baukau. ona in this use always indicates the immediate past (a short time ago).2. placed after the word (not a verb) it qualifies to denote a recently: tense of verbs tense of verbs prev chapter 4. grammar nexttense of verbs all verbs are naturally in the present tense, but may give the meaning of another tense by the context of sentence;example 4.1. tense in verbs nia ba basar aban, he will go to the market tomorrow; nia ba basar horisek, he went to the market yesterday.tense may also be indicated by tense particles
paulo will not do this work. note: same combination as above applies. sei dauk on its own means 'not yet' 4. placed before a verb can have the meaning of 'must' or 'obliged to':aida sei hemu ai moruk ne'e, aida must drink this medicine.o sei halo serbisu ida ne'e, you must do this work.prev up nextverbs  home particles and participles: sei la dauk mai or la dauk sei are just as correct. paulu sei dauk halo knaar ida ne'e
pay, repay: selu
pea: eravila (p)
peanut: forei rai
pencil: lapis (p)
penis: lasan
perhaps, kal, perhaps, if, karik: maybe
person: ema
petal: kinas
petal ai hun, tree base: au funan kinas
pick up: hili
pick, gather: ku'u
pig: fahi
pigeon: falur, laketeu
pillow: kluni
pimply, fruitful: fuak
pineapple: ananas (p)
place, spot, position: fatin
place, tau: put
plant, kuda: sow seed
plate: hanek
play: halimar, joga (p)
play cards prev up nextdictionary tetun i home dictionary tetun k: joga surat (i)
plough up: so'o
plump, kabuar: round
poor, orphan: kiak
possessive article, nia: he
possum: laku
post, ai rii, ai riin: stake
post, stake: riin
pot: sanan
potato: fehuk ropa
pound, crush: fai
pour liquid: fui
precipice: rai horun
pregnant: kabuk
pregnant, cuddle: kou'us
price, cost: folin
prisoner: ema dadur
proceed, go off, ba, walk, travel, la'o: go
provided the nuptial couple were the children of a brother or: upon
pull out: fukit
pull, drag: dada
pull, jerk: fokit
pumpkin: lakeru
punish, baku: beat
pupil: matan oan
purse: kohe
push: dudu
put, place: tau

Q

quail: kiukae
question: husu lia
quickly: lalais (lailais)

R

rahun: dust; fate
rai ahu: fog
rai hela: guard
rai henek: sand
rai horun: precipice
rai hun: mountain foot
rai inus, tasi inus: cape
rai klean: slope (of hill)
rai lolon: range
rai malirin: cold weather
rai manas: hot weather
rai maran: dry weather
rai moulik: bare space
rai nakdodo: earthquake
rai sadere: hillside
rai suut: volcano
rai taruta: thunder
rai tetuk: plain
rai tutun: mountain top
rai udan: wet weather
rain: udan
raining: udan tau
rama: bow
rama isin: arrow
ran: blood
range: rai lolon
rat: laho
rate: grave
rattle: nakdoko
re'i liman: kiss hand
reben: ten thousand
reciprocal, malu: mutual
red: mean
redi: fishing net
reef, meti: shore
reflexive infinite, past, future or present, as well as some conditions not found in english. tetun has no verb "to be", therefore care should be taken when transposing to english; oan feto moe, the girl is shy,: active
reject, lakoi: don't want
relatives: maluk
remember, hanoin: think
rentos: forehead
repay, selu: pay
reply, hatan, take, accept, simu: answer
resilient and: to learn the language of this extraordinarily stoic
resin, too much, liu tan: more
restaurant: uma han
resulting: worked as the japanese soon followed the australian invasion
return: hafila
return, go home: fila fali
rian: brother-in-law
rice (cooked): etu
rice (husked): fos
rice paddy: hare natar
rice powder, talc badain, tradesman badain ai, carpenter badak, short baer, baar, astringent taste bain, uain, day bain hira, when baku, beat, punish baku malu, fight balada, domestic stock baliu, axe: badaak
rice stem: hare kain
rice, see, look, to see sele, to destroy koko, to trylebo, to carry: hare
riceta-fe, to spiteha-hu, to beginko-a, to crow, to seeha-fi-la, to returnha-lu-ha, to forgetba-bu-rit, a syringehak-fi-lak, to alternak-fu-nan, to become mouldya-ru-ma, some (mostly said as ru-ma)ku-ak, holeis-in, bodyba-dain, tradesmanka-rau, buffalorai, earth: ha-re
rich: kmaus
right: kuana
right, correct, straight: los
rihun: thousand
ring: kadeli
ripe: taska
ripe, les: tear
river: mota
river bed: mota suli
river lower reaches: mota ain
river mouth: mota ibun
ro: boat
ro ahi: steam shop
ro rii: mast
road, dalan: track
roast: sona
rock, fatuk: stone
rona: hear
roof: kakuluk
rope: talin
rosak, sturdy, maka'as: strong
rotten: dodok
rough sea: tasi boot
round, plump: kabuar
rowdy: haksi'ak
rua: two
ruanulu: twenty
ruanulu resin ida, twenty one, literally, twenty plus one.ten, teen a participle affixed after a word to form nouns with a derogatory sense: baruk, lazu; baruk teen, laziness. prev up nexttense of verbs  home chapter 5. numerals, sanulu: ten
ruin: bone
rule, ukun: govern
ruma, any, something: rumah
run away: halai

S

s, you, you (singular): o
sa: tea, what
sabaun (p): soap
sabruka, subraka, saburaka: orange
sabulu: woman's song
sack, ka'ut: bag
sacred: lulik
sad: oin kraik
saddle bag: kotu kotuk
sadia: compassion
saffron: kinur
sai: go out
sakunar: scorpion
salt: masin
salurik: umbrella
sama: trample
same combination as above applies. sei dauk on its own means 'not yet' 4. placed before a verb can have the meaning of 'must' or 'obliged to':aida sei hemu ai moruk ne'e, aida must drink this medicine.o sei halo serbisu ida ne'e, you must do this work.prev up nextverbs  home particles and participles: sei la dauk mai or la dauk sei are just as correct. paulu sei dauk halo knaar ida ne'e, paulo will not do this work. note
samea, samodo: snake
sanak: branch
sanan: pot
sanan besi: iron pot
sand: rai henek
sandalwood ai kebelak, plank, board ai kulit, bark of tree ai laran, alas, forest ai lele, kapok ai lia, ginger ai lolon, trunk of a tree ai los, straight tree ai luka, ai farina, cassava: ai kameli
sans-serif;: font-family: arial
santa cruz for helping me understand the tetun language with: kiik
sarak: at least
sarani: christian
sarauk: black and white
sarong: lipa
sasuit: comb
savage, fuik: wild
savage, wild man: ema fuik
saw: kado
say, heteten, dehan, talk, ko'a lia: speak
say, speak: dehan
scent: mourin
school: eskola (p)
scoop water: kuru
scorch, burn: sunu
scorpion: sakunar
scratch, itchy: katar
sea: tasi
sea bottom: tasi kidun
sea water: tasi be
sebi (p): chief
secret: lia suik, sumik
seed: musan
sei: future particle
sei dauk: not yet
sell: fa'an
semo: fly
serve meal: suru
sesame: lena
seven: hitu
sew, sukiu: mend
shade: dictionary tetun mdictionary tetun mprev chapter 6. dictionary tetun - english nextdictionary tetun m(p) = portuguese word (i) = indonesian word mahan
shade ai manas, chilli ai moruk, medicine ai nar, rose bush ai rahun, sawdust ai rii, ai riin, stake, post ai snak, branch of a tree ai sar, broom ai sarian, mahogany tree ai suak, digging stick ai tahan, leaf ai tahan dikin, shoot: ai mahon
shark: iu
sharpen: kadi
shop: loja (p)
short, reef: meti
shout: haklalak
shout, yell: hakilar
show way, hatudu: indicate
shut, close: taka
shut, cork up: sulan
shy, ashamed: moe
si'ak, annoyed, hirus: angry
si'ik: guess
sia: nine
sick: laran moras, moras
siin: sour
silent, keep quiet: nonook
silver: osan mutin
sing: hananu
sink: mout
sir (polite title): na'in
sira, one; a: ida
sira, sia: they
sire tiha fatuk ba ue, they threw a stone in the water.example 4.4. sei and tensesei1. placed before the verb denotes future tense: oras isa ha'u sei kba ua kreda, shortly i will go to church2. placed before a verb can indicate that the action is still continuing:teti berek sei haris, teti berek is still having a bath.3. used with dauk or daun indicates negative future tense (sometimes: ami tiha ikan barak, we net many fish.5. as a verb to cast, fling, or throw
sister-in-law: ka'an
six: neen
skull: ulun fatuk
sky: lalehan
sleep: dukur
sleeping area: lantent
slender slim: lotuk
slim, lotuk: slender
slope (of hill): rai klean
slowly: neineik
slug, babuku: snail
small marsupial: meda
small, ki'ik: little
small, little: uit oan
smallpox: kolar
smell: horon
smell, dois: stink
smoke tobacco: fuma (p)
smooth: kabeer
snake: samea
snot: inus been
snot, nasal mucous: kuus
so it is possible to find all letters of the: their original form
so much, nahun, therefore, nu'u ne'e: so
so that he can live in harmony at home: his instinct outside his family
so'o: plough up
so, so much: nahun
so, therefore: nu'u ne'e
soap: sabaun (p)
sobu, rip up, sele: destroy
sock: meias (p)
soft, gentle: mamar
solid, firm: metin
some bad): not bad. (lit. some good
some people would change their name after a: effects of the klamar
some, part, half balu, middle bani, honey bee bani ben, honey banin feto, mother-in-law banin mane, father-in-law: balu
something buis, savage, untamed buka, seek, look for bulak, mad, crazy busa, cat: buat ruma
something, rumah, ruma: any
sona, tunu: roast
song sung at gatherings: dahur
soon, lakleur: not long
soro: hunt
sosa: buy
soul, spirit: klamar
soup: modo ben
sour: siin
souri: defend
souri-an: defend oneself
sourin balu: opposite side
souru: weave
south: loro lor
sow seed, plant: kudsa
soya bean: forei keli
space between, let, leet: gap
span of hand: hakat
speak, dehan: say
speak, talk: ko'a lia
spear: dima
speech, lia: word
spell, horok: charm
spider: labadain
spirit (of dead): mate klamar
spirit, klamar: soul
spit: tafui
spoken in the north-west of east timor and the: tetun-terik
spoken in the south-west of east timor and the: tetun-belu
spoon: kanuru
spot, position, fatin: place
spread out, divide: nahe
spur for cock fighting: tara
stable: kuda luhan, luhan
stake, riin: post
star: fitun
stay, remain, hela: live
steal: na'uk
steam ship: ro ahi
step: odan
step, pace: hakat ain
stink, smell: dois
stomach: kabun
stomach ache: kabun dulas, kabun moras
stone, rock: fatuk
stranger, foreigner: malae
strawberry: morangu (p)
strike, tuku: punch
strong: rosak
strong wind: uarta
strong, sturdy: maka'as
subraka lotuk: mandarin
such as growing food,: efficiently with a number of people
such as horses, buffaloes, goats, pigs as: livestock that they owned
such as hot and: philosophy that everything has a balancing opposite
suckle: susun
suffer: terus
sugar: masin maidar
sui: extract
sukair: tamarind
sukat: measure
suli: flow
summit, tutun: top
sun: loro
sunday: domingu (p)
sunrise, east: loro sa'e
sunset, west: lroron monu
superlative: liu
support, sadere: lean against
supposedly the best in the world. it was the: because of its sandalwood
sura: count
sure, tetebes: certain
surik: sword
suru: serve meal
susar: difficult
susu: breast
susu ben: milk
susu matan: nipple
susuk: mosquito
susun: suckle
suut: blow nose
sweat: kosar
sweep: dasa
sweet: midar
sweet potato: fehuk mida
sword: surik
syringe: baburit

T

ta'uk: afraid
ta'uk to fear > hamta'uk, to be in fear (of: action of the root word
taa ulun: decapitate
tabaku: tobacco
table 4.1. gender and nouns  tetum dili other dialects  malefemalemalefemalehumanmanefetomanefetoanimalamaninanamaninananimal  amakinakplantmanefetomanenfeton: nouns have no formal gender, but masculinity and femininity may be expressed by adding the following words to the noun
tafui: spit
taha, tudik: knife
tai tetu: dictionary english vdictionary english vprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english v valley
tail: ikun
tais: garment
take away: hasai
take, carry: hodi
talas: dictionary english ydictionary english yprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english y yam
talc, badaak: rice powder
talin: rope
tall, aas: high
tamarind: sukair
tame: maus
tan: more again, more; find
tanis: cry
tara: spur for cock fighting
tarata, criticise, tolok malu: insult
tasak: ripe
tasi: seas
tasi balun: overseas
tasi be: seas water
tasi boot: rough sea
tasi ibun: beach
tasi kidun: sea bottom
tasi maus: calm sea
tasi nakonu: high tide
tasi si'ak: angry sea
tasi tun: low tide
tasty, nice: furak
tata: bite
tau tan: increase
te: excreta
tea: dictionary tetun sdictionary tetun sprev chapter 6. dictionary tetun - english nextdictionary tetun s(p) = portuguese word (i) = indonesian word sa
teach: hanourin
teacher: mestre (p)
teacher prev up nextdictionary tetun f home dictionary tetun h: guru (i)
tear, rip: les
tears: luun
tebes: truly
tebes, true; tetebes, very true; manas, hot; manamanas extremely hot.: first part
tecki: gecko
tein: cook
ten: sanulu
ten thousand: reben
tene: invite
terus: suffer
tesi lian: decide
testicles: lasan fuan
tetun can be divided into four main dialects:: broadly
tetun has: language now officially spoken and taught within the areas
tetun-los centered around the town of soidada and the kingdom of: broadly, tetun can be divided into four main dialects
tetun-terik and tetun-belu. contemporary linguists: tetun-prasa
th: ch
thanks: obrigado (p)
that: ne'e ba
that is good enough, also to'o ona and: ne'e di'ak ona
that those: ide ne'e ba
that, ne'e: this
the: timor. the indigenous lunar calendar is similar to the chinese
the capital, it is always hot and there are only two seasons wet and dry.: in dili
the dialect taught to the: tetun-dili (also known as tetun-prasa)
the guests at a birth feast could easily be: than for any other reason
the katuas would tell stories to the children to: in every village
the last: this work was conducted in september and october of 2003
the last official portuguese census, the population was: in 1974
the letters c, g, j, q, v, w, x, y, z are not normally used in, root words beginning with h change to m, those ending in a vowel add k; also ma and mak are second person forms of ha and hak. na-, nak-, nam- prefix to form verbs in third person plural; also forms verbal nouns and adjectives. ra-, rak-, ram-, ran- prefix to form verbs in third person plural and also verbal nouns and adjectives., this applies to all parts of speech.: note
the mutual: language is the foundation of cultural identity
the newly re-established democratic: mores. in this perspective
the priests could be: marriage. now that so many timorese are christian
the total area in which each language or dialect: of each. consequently
the word 'window' is denoted as being from portuguese: of the booklet
then no arrangement could be made for his marriage. of course this does: become a full clan member (as a practising priest of mother earth)
then with the help: tetun-english dictionary from his own fading memory
then, iha oras ne'e: this time
there: ihe ne'e ba
there is a wide: while tetun is understood in all areas of timor
therefore: ne'e duni
therefore it is only natural that the: timorese culture was oral
therefore it will rain soon.: the wind is strong
therefore, so, then: hafoin
these: ne'e mai
they: sira
they threw a stone in the water.example 4.4. sei and tensesei1. placed before the verb denotes future tense: oras isa ha'u sei kba ua kreda, shortly i will go to church2. placed before a verb can indicate that the action is still continuing:teti berek sei haris, teti berek is still having a bath.3. used with dauk or daun indicates negative future tense (sometimes: sire tiha fatuk ba ue
thick: mahar
thigh: kelen
thin: mihis
thing: buat
think, remember: hanoin
thirsty: hamrook
this is a book primarily deals with what: as mr. morris will state
this one: ida ne'e mazi
this one, definitely: ida ne'e duni
this one, this: ide ne'e
this time, then: iha oras ne'e
this, that: ne'e
thorn ai fukun, knot in tree: ai tarak
those ending in a vowel add k; also ma and mak are second person forms of ha and hak. na-, nak-, nam- prefix to form verbs in third person plural; also forms verbal nouns and adjectives. ra-, rak-, ram-, ran- prefix to form verbs in third person plural and also verbal nouns and adjectives.: note: root words beginning with h change to m
though it should be noted that the: this section is a summary of the morphology and syntax of well-spoken tetun-los
though the fundamental beliefs: applicable to present day east timor
thousand: rihun
thread: lahan
thresh grain bibi, goat bibi malae, sheep bibi rusa, deer bidu, dance biin, sister biit, strength bi'it, lift by fingers bikan, plate binatan, domestic animals birak, copper biti, sleeping mat bobar, roll up, tricky boek, shrimp: be'u
throw away, discard: soe
thunder: rai tartutu
tie up: futu
tie, kesi: fasten
tight, narrow: kloot
tiha: throw; past tense
tilun: ear
tilun kuak: ear hole
time, oras: hour
timid: fodak
tin: kalen
tinan: year
tip, extremity: rohan
tiran: oyster
tiu: purse (woven)
to: time and ceremony. the usual and preferred method was by hafoli (lit
to be in fear (of: action of the root word: ta'uk to fear > hamta'uk
to become part of the first syllable, but to be pronounced: expletives
to cut na-'-uk, to stealbe-'-u, to thresh grain: ko-'-a
to kick > mafetuk, kicker; kair, to hold > makair lulik, the keeper of the sacred house;: practises the verb's action: hafetu
to'o: until
to'o ona: enough
to'os: garden
toba: lie down
toba fatin: bed
tobacco: tabaku
todan: heavy
toilet: liur fatiun, sentina (p)
tolan: swallow
tolu: three
tolun: egg
tongue: nanal
too, mos: clean; also
tooth: nehan
touch bokar, thick bokon, wet bokur, fat bolu, call out boot, big, large bosok, lie, deceive botil (p), bottle bua, betel nut buan, sorcerer: bok
touch, feel: kokok, lamas
towards: kona
track, road: dalan
trample: sama
travel about: lemu
treacherous: laran makerek
tremble: nakded ar
tricky, variegated: makerek
trim, cut (garden, grass): lere
troublemakerkbe-lak, disckdo-ran, water vessel: kba-but
truck, bus: kareta (p)
true; tetebes, very true; manas, hot; manamanas extremely hot.: first part: tebes
truly: tebes
try, attempt: koko
tua: wine
tua siin: vinegar
tuaka: palm wine
tuber of all kinds: fehuk
tuku hira?: oras ne'e
tuna: eel
tur: sit
turn: fila
turtle: lenuk
tusan: debt
twenty: ruanulu
twenty one, literally, twenty plus one.ten, teen a participle affixed after a word to form nouns with a derogatory sense: baruk, lazu; baruk teen, laziness. prev up nexttense of verbs  home chapter 5. numerals: ten: ruanulu resin ida
twist: sulas
two: rua

U

ualu: eight
uat: vein
udan: dictionary english rdictionary english rprev chapter 7. "english to tetun" nextdictionary english rrain
udan rahun: light rain
udan tau: raining
ugly, deformed: oin aat
uit oan deit: very little
ular: worm
ulum, first, before, in front: ulu
ulun: head
ulun fatuk: skull
ulun moras: headache
uma: house
uma han: restaurant
uma kakuluk: house roof
uma krebek: house ruins
uma talin: house thatch
umbrella: salurik
uncle older than father aman ki'ik, uncle younger than father aman sarani, godfather: aman boot
unclebere-loik, spiderbai-rua, day after tomorrow: aman-ikun
underside: iha okos
unnecessary: lalkika
unripe, matak, yellow, modok: green
untamed, buis, wild man, ema fuik: savage
urinate, meina, fat, oil: mii
use of the: have familiarity with any of the romance languages
used in all dialects. the tetun-dili equivalent is mak,: in english
uterus: oan fatin
uthin: foho rai
utur: mould
uud: whale
uut: dust

V

valley: tai tetu
vegetable: modo
vein: uat
verse in two lines: dadolin
very little: uit oan deit
village, knua: hamlet
virgin: feto ran
voice, noise: lian
volcano: rai suut
vomit: muta

W

wait: hein
walk only, la'o de'it: on foot
wall: didin
want, desire: hakarak
war: funu
was living with the klamar (the souls of the: non-christians alike
wash clean: fasi mos
water also be: ue
water vessel: kdoran
wave: laloron
wax: lilin
we (incl.), you (polite): ita
we had to cross a flooded stream. the usual method was to: japanese
we net many fish.5. as a verb to cast, fling, or throw:: ami tiha ikan barak
weave: souru
weed, faho: harrow
well, alright.example 4.3. tiha and tensetiha1. placed after the verb forms past tense: bere lelik la'o tiha, bere: naton ona have the same meaning. 4. used as an interjection; di'ak ona
west, loron monu: sunset
wet weather: rai udan
whale: uud
what: sa
what, sa ida, who, ne'e be: which
when it is clear that what was meant was the word 'dinela'.: origin
where each verse was in two lines and each line was: common was dadolin
where harmony will ensure: which are against the needs of mother earth
where the woman of the house ruled supreme. because the: two areas
whereas tetun-belu refers to the western dialect, split by the former: opinion that tetun-terik and tetun-los are actually one and the same
whereas tetun-prasa has a large number of words: indonesian loanwords
which are an extension of a single sound, e.g.: tetun also has double vowels
which he differentiates from: he calls the tetun-los dialect
which is: made to include the more complex ritual language of poetry
which is demonstrated in poetry by the na'i lia's: art of story telling
which was very disconcerting for the portuguese: their prior name
which would give him a fearful respect. even an important: community
which, what: sa ida
which, who: ide ne'e be, ne'e be
while 'we' and 'us' exclusive (i.e. 'we alone') do not include those spoken to. ami mai atu imi, tan ba ita hotu mesa belun we come to see you, because we are all friends. possessive pronouns the possessive pronouns are formed by placing the pronoun before the noun with nia between them, e.g. ha'u nia asu, my: (i.e. 'we and you')
while those living on the north coast are: in language and custom
whisper, blow softly: huu
whistle: hafuik, kfui
white: mutin
who died on october 5,: it is very unfortunate that cliff morris'
who had very wide powers to: or one placed by the buan (sorcerer)
who was not free to leave the family. their masters: (nurse for a baby)
who will invariable have another: of expertise among these speakers
who, whom: se
whoever: naran ida
whom, se: who
why: nu'u sa
why, because: tan ba
widow: feto faluk
widowed: faluk
width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0: viewport
wife (impolite): fen
wife (polite): kaben
wild, savage: fuik
win, earn: manan
window: dinela (p)
winnowing basket: lafatik
wipe, brush: kose
with new positions to be filled. sometimes it: displacement of power
with the town merely being the nearest to the: languages and dialects
with, ho: and
without, not any: laek
woman: feto
woman's sarong: sabulu
wood, firewood, ai: tree
word, speech: lia
work, construct, do, halo: make
work, job: knaar
worm: ular
would mean instead he went hunting3. placed before ona it indicates that the action is completely finished:: tiha fila soro
wound: hahanek
wound, injure: kanek
write: hakerek
wrong: la los

X

xmlto xhtml -o cliffmorris-xhtml morris_tetun-rev-002.xml . prev up phrases home: docbook xml ver. 4.2 in ascii text using xemacs 21.4 (patch 12)xhtml version produced using xmlto version 0.0.14 with the following command line string

Y

yam: talas
yellow: kinu
you (plural): imi
you (polite), ita: we (incl)
young girl: oan feto
young immature: nurak
young leaf: ai tahan sokat
young, foun: new
young, single nobleman: klosan
younger brother: alin
younger sister alu, alun, pestle amak, masculine aman, father, male of animals: alin feto
yours: imi nian
youth (la-ba-rik)ua-ni, honeybee (ba-ni) ue, water (be): la-ua-rik