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Tetun Medical Words

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Last updated: 1 January 2005

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Word lists

Tetun English Medical Guide (pdf file 40 KB)

Tetun English Medical Guide (pdb file for iSilo 6KB)

A list of words I compiled on my first visit to East Timor which assisted in consultations. The list is also reproduced below. The words are divided by subject and are ordered in English

Health Terms (pdf file 130 KB)

A more comprehensive list of words in Tetun with their English meanings. It is ordered in Tetun not English. Written by the Peace Corp in East Timor in 2003.

Health Explanations in Tetun (pdf file 21 KB)

A list of several statements that may be useful during consultations. 

Anatomy chart (110 KB jpg file)

Body parts labelled in Tetun

Food word in Tetum

Timor Agriculture has several simple dictionaries in pdf format 

English-Tetum
Tetum-English
Portuguese-Tetum
Tetum-Portuguese
Tetum-Indonesian
Portuguese-Indonesian


Tetun (or Tetum) is spoken by most people in Dili and the surrounding region. Around 30 different languages are spoken throughout Timor Loro-sa'e. These are detailed in the map below. Portuguese is the official language but more people speak Indonesian, which can be very useful in areas where Tetun is not spoken.

A couple of books that you will find useful to help you learn Tetum are;

Tetun Language Course by Catherina Williams-van Klinken published by Peace Corp East Timor 2003. Enquire at peacecorpa@tl.peacecorps.gov or PO Box 310 Dili East Timor (332 1948) USD$15 bought in Timor Leste 

Tetum Language Manual for East Timor by Geoffrey Hull published by the Academy of East Timor studies. University of Western Sydney. December 2000. ISBN: 186341875X Costs about AUD $20. Email details are: s.lester@uws.edu.au

Mai Kolia Tetun (A beginner's course in Tetum-Praca; the Lingua Franca of East Timor) also by Geoffrey Hull. Published by Caritas and the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, North Sydney. Third edition, 1999. ISBN: 0646150715. Costs about AUD $30. This book is also available with three audio cassettes that cost around AUD $70. These are useful as it gives you the correct pronunciations for many of the words.

Lonely Planet's East Timor Phrase Book by John Hajeh and Alexandre Tilman. ISBN is 1740 590201. Cost is about AUD $11. This pocket size phrasebook comes highly recommended and best bought and studied before leaving. Now a travel guide to East Timor is also available.

East Timor Tetun Guide to Daily Conversation. Jose Aparicio Aug 2001. ISBN 0957 931506 Approx $25.00. This is a new Tetum dictionary and phrase book.

Standard Tetum-English Dictionary by Dr Geoffrey Hull. Published by Allen & Unwin and the University of Western Sydney MacArthur. ISBN: 1 86508 206 6. Email details are: frontdesk@allen-unwin.com.au.

Short English-Tetum Dictionary by Dr Geoffrey Hull. Published by the Academy of East Timor Studies.

A Travellers Dictionary by Cliff Morris. Published by Baba Dook Books. ISBN: 959 1922 2 0. Also available from this site.

These can purchased from Bookworld [(08) 89815277] in Darwin Mall or Angus & Robertson in the Galleria [(08) 8941 3489] or Casuarina [(08) 8927 2539].

Also consider an Indonesian - English and English - Portuguese Dictionary. 


THE TETUM ENGLISH MEDICAL GUIDE

Parts of the Body

Ankle

Ain fukun

Arm

Liman

Arm pit

Kalilin

Back

Kotuk

Belly

Kabun

Body

Isin

Bottom

Kidun

Breast

Susun

Chest

Hirus matan

Ear

Tilun

Eyes

Matan

Eyelid

Matan kulit

Feet

Ain tanen

Finger nail

Liman kukun

Fingers

Liman fuan

Hair

Fuuk

Hand

Liman tanen

Head

Ulun

Heart

Fuan

Kidney

Rins

Knee

Ain tuur

Knuckle

Liman fukun

Legs

Ain

Lungs

Pulmaun

Liver

Aten

Mouth

Ibun

Naval

Husar

Neck

Kakorok

Nose

Inus

Nostril

Inus kuak

Penis

Sasan Lulile

Spleen

Ook

Shoulder

Kabaas

Skin

Kulit

Teeth

Nehan

Testes

Lasan fuan

Throat

Kakorok

Toes

Ain fuan

Tongue

Nanal

Vagina

Sasan Lulile (a more polite version)/Huin

Signs & Symptoms

Abscess

Fisur

Anorexia

Han la diak

Anxious

Laran susar

Artery

Uat

Blood

Raan

Bone

Ruin

Bruise

Isin metak

Burn

Sunu

Chills

Malirin

Constipation

Tee loos

Cough

Cough - productive 

Cough - dry

Me’ar

Me’ar tasak

Me’ar maran

Cry

Tanis

Depressed

Laran todan

Diarrhoea

Tee been

Dizziness

Nakukun/Oin halai

Dyspnoea

Iis boot

Dysuria

Burning urine

Mii moras

Mii manas

Eat

Han

Faeces

Tee

Faint

Oin nakukun no mona

Fall

Monu

Fever

Isin manas

Flatulence

Hosu

Fracture

Tohar

Haemorrhoid

Kidun mean

Head ache

Moras ulun

Hearing/Listen

Rona

Head cold

Inus metan

Hematuria

Mii ho ran

Hot

Manas

Hungry

Hamlaha

Itchy skin

Katar kulit

Limp

Lao kude’ik

Menstruation

Mens mii

Nausea

Laran sa’e

Pain

Moras

Pregnant

Isin rua

Runny nose

Inus been

Scar

Fitar

Shake

Bee doko

Sleep

Toba

Sneeze

Fani

Sprain

Naksalak

Swelling

Bubu

Sweating

Kosar

Tears

Matan been

Thirsty

Hamrook

Thin

Krekas

Tired

Kole

Unwell

Isin barak

Urine

Mii

Vein

Uat

Vision

Haree

Vomit

Muta

Wart

Futi

Worms

Lombriga

Worry

Hanoin barak/ Neon-susa

Weight loss

Isin tun

Medical History

What is your name?

Ita naran saida

How old are you?

Ita tinan hira

What is the problem?

Moras saida

Where is the pain?

Iha ne’be moras

Does it hurt here?

Iha ne’e moras

When did the pain begin?

Moras horibainhira

How long have you had pain?

Moras loron hira

Does it hurt all the time?

Loran loran moras

What makes the pain worse?

Saida mak halo nia moras

Sharp pain

Dull pain

Moras maka’as

Moras fai

What work do you do?

Ita serbisu saida

Do other family members have this problem?

Iha familia laran keta problema hanesan ne’e?

Have you had TB in the past

Ita iha moras paru-paru/TBC uluk?

How long ago did you take malaria treatment.

Hodi bainhira ita hemu aimoruk malaria?

Do you smoke?

Ita fuma

Do you drink alcohol?

Ita hemu tua manas?

Are you married?

Ita kaben na-in

Do you see well?

Ita haree diak

How many children do you have?

Boys/Sons

Girls/Daughters

Ita iha oan hira

Mane/Oan mane

Oan/Feto

Father

Mother

Grandfather

Grandmother

Aman

Inan

Avo mane

Avo feto

Medical Examination (Koko)

Sit down

Sit up

Stand

Tuur

Hader

Hamriik

Take off your shirt/trousers/ clothes

Hasai ita nia faru/kalsa/roupe

Lift your leg

Ita hit ain/Foti

Put your leg down

Ita ha toba

Push

Pull

Strong

Dudu

Dada

Forsa makas

Slow

Fast

Neineik

La lais

Is the pain here

Iha ne’e moras

Open your mouth

Ita loke ibun

Open your eyes

Ita loke matan

Hearing

Rona

Drink

Hemu

Do as I do

Henesan

Breath in

Breath out

Hold your breath

Please cough

Say 99

Dade iis

Hasai iis

La dade iis

Me’ar, par favor

Ida dehan 99

Left

Right

Turn

Karuk

Liman Los

Fila

Relax

Halo mamar

Walk

La’o

Weight

Tetu

Stop

Para

Medicines & treatments

Anaesthetic

Anestezia

Asthma inhaler

Bomba

Bandage

Ligadura

Blood test

Hasai raan

Cream

Kreme

Dressing

Curativo

Drops

Turuk turuk

Exercise

Ezesisu

Incision

Tesi

Injection

Sona

Ointment

Minas manas

Orals

Aimoruk

ORS

Airmoruk tee been

Sutures

Suku

Time (Tempo)

Minute

Minuto

Hours

Oras

Days

Loron

Weeks

Semana

Months

Fulan

Years

Tinan

Colours (Kor)

Black

Metan

Blue

Azul

Green

Verde/Lumut

Red

Mean

White

Mutin

Yellow

Kinur

Other Useful Word & Phrases

Elevate

Ain aas

Blood pressure

Tensaun raan

Blood test

Hasai ran

Day after tomorrow

Bain rua

Discharge home

Alta

Don’t move

Keta book an

Drunk

Lenu

Follow me

Come with me

Tuir ha’u

Mai ho ha’u

Help

Tulun

Hospital

Ospital

Hot pack

Bee manas hanas

It wont hurt much

Ne’e ladun moras

Malaria

Malaria

Mattress

Sheet

Kolxuan

Hena taka

Morning

Midday

Afternoon

Night

Dedeer

Meiudia

Loraik

Kalan

Next patient

Pasien tuit mai

Now

Agora

Nurse

Enfermeiru

Pick at

Sukit

Play

Halimar

Poison

Venenu

Read

Lee

Return if you are not well

Ita fila fali la diak.

Sex

Hola malu

Take one tablet every four hours.

Ita hemu aimoruk ne’e dala ida iha oras haat nia loran.

This is not serious

Ne’e la seriu

Tomorrow

Aban

Understand

Ita komprende

Wash

Fase/Hamos

Weight

Filo hira

Wound

Kanek

X-ray

Raiu xis

Yesterday

Horisehik

You must drink more liquid

Ita tenke hemu bee barak

You must stop smoking

Ite tenke labele fume ona

You must take one tablet three times a day.

Ita tenke hemu ida aimoruk ne’e lata tolu ba loran ida.

You must take this medicine with food.

Ita tenke han bosu mak hemu.

You need to go to the hospital

Nia tenke ba lalais ospital.

You will feel well soon

Orsida ita sente diak

Better

Diak

Bad

Aat

Worse

Aat liu

Much worse

Aat liu hotu

Dead

Mate

Numbers

One

Ida

Two

Rua

Three

Tolu

Four

Haat

Five

Lima

Six

Neen

Seven

Hitu

Eight

Ualu

Nine

Sia

Ten

Senulu

Fifteen

Senula resin lima

Twenty

Ruanulu

One hundred

Atus ida

One thousand

Rihun ida

Pregnancy (Isin rua)

Big contractions

Contraxi forsi

Breast milk

Susubeen

Clot

Kafuak

Facial/Hand/Foot swelling

Bubu iha oin/ iha liman tanen/ihu ain tanen

Foetus (abortus)

Kafuak mutin

Have you been sick during the pregnancy

Ita moras bainhira isin rua.

Have your contractions begun?

Ita sente ona knotak moras/ contraxi ka lae?

Iron tablets

Aimoruk musan/ besi

Midwife

Parteira

Twins

Oan kaduak

Waters broken

Nakfera been balsa

Weight?

Kilo hira

When is the baby due?

Bainhira bele tuur-ahi?

Days of the week

Sunday

Domingu

Monday

Segunda

Tuesday

Loron tersa

Wednesday

Loron kuarta

Thursday

Loron kinta

Friday

Loron sesta

Saturday

Sabadu


Links to other Tetum Language pages

Interpeace word list

Massey University Site  Has some sound files available. 

John Hajek on Lonely Planet's East Timor Phrasebook 

Sebastiăo Aparício da Silva Project  for the Protection and Promotion of East Timorese Languages

Languages of Timor Loro'sae

Some basic tetum words and sentences

A Short English-Tetum Classified Vocabulary Compiled by Lance Eccles. The home page from the Instituto Nacional de Linguística Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e also contains bilingual vocabulary pages in French, Italian, Norwegian, Chinese and several other languages.

A Traveller's Dictionary in Tetun-English and English-Tetun from the Land of the Sleeping Crocodile East Timor by Cliff Morris

A very popular 15 hour intensive course is offered at least once a year by Alex Tilman, co-author of the Lonely Planet East Timor Phrasebook. For more information and to be put on the mailing list for future courses contact Alex Tilman via e-mail: alextilman@yahoo.com


Food word in Tetum

Meals are influenced by a mixture of Portuguese, Chinese and Indonesian  influences. Remember to eat at least some of what has been offered and to say Kapas Los - "that was delicious!"

Fruit
apple
avocado
banana
cherry
coconut
custard apple
durian
fig
grapes
grapefruit
guava
jackfruit
lemon
mango
orange
pawpaw/papaya
pineapple
tomato
Aifuan
masan
abakati
hudi
serajus
nu
aiata
durian
figus
uvas
jambua
giobas
kulu jaka
derok
has
sabraka
aidila
ananas
tomati
Fruit without an English name
Salak  Zalacca tree; snake-like skin; bittersweet tasting 
Jambulan  Purple olive sized, sweet-sour tasting
Uha  Pear shaped, sour and succulent
Saramale  Small, pumpkin-shaped
Aidak  Lychee-like succulent

 

Meat 
beef 
chicken 
duck 
goat/mutton 
heart 
liver 
pork 
sausage
steak 
Nan
nan karau
nan manu
manu rade
nan bibi
fuan
aten
nan fahi
xurisu
bifi
The many forms of rice
bakmi 
etu 
eti fila 
fos 
hare 
sasoro 
rice noodles
cooked rice
fried rice and egg
raw rice (with husk)
growing rice
rice porridge 
Vegetables  Modo tahan Seafood hahan hosi tasi
beans 
bok choy 
breadfruit 
cassava/manioc 
capsicum 
carrot 
celery 
corn/maize 
egg plant 
garlic 
lettuce 
mustard greens 
onion 
peanut 
potato 
sago 
sweet potato 
taro 
water spinach 
yam 
fore
modo mutin
kulu tunu
aifarina 
aimanas bot
senoura
salsa
batar
brinzela
lis asu
alfasi
modo metan
lis bot
forai
fehuk
akar
fehuk midar
talas
kanko
kumbli
crabs 
fish 
lobster 
octopus 
shrimp 
squid 

 

 

When to eat
breakfast

lunch
dinner

kaduik
ikan
lagosta
kurita
boek
suntu

 

 


matebixu; han dader
almosu; han meudia
jantar; janta

Cooking  Tein
bafar 
dan 
fai 
lalar 
matak 
sona 
tamu 
tunu 
steamed
boiled
pulped
grilled or fried
raw
fried
smoked
baked

 

 

 

Words from 

Ingredients Drinks
biscuit 
bread 
butter 
cheese 
chilli 
chocolate 
coconut milk 
oil 
eggs 
flour 
fruit 
ham 
honey 
jam 
margarine 
milk 
noodles 
pepper 
salt 
soy sauce 
sugar
biskoit
paun
manteiga
keiju
aimanas
xokolate
ne ben
mina
manatolun
trigu
aifuan
fiambre
baniben
marmelada
margarina
susuben
mi
pimentra
masin
sutati
masin midar
coffee 
- black 
- milk 
beer 
brandy 
ice 
port 
tea 
water 
wine 
- white 
- red 
- traditional palm 
- distilled palm 
whiskey
kafe 
metan
ho susuben
serveja
tua manas
jelu
portu
xa
be
tua
tua-uvas mutin
tintu
tuaka 
tua sabu
wiski
Meals
bakso 
batar dan 
bolu 
modo fila 
modo masin 
etu 
eti fila 
gado-gado 
hudi sona
kaldeirado
karil 
ikan dan 
ikan maran 
ikan tuna
rending 
saboko 
salada 
sambal 
sasate satay
sasoro
soveti 
tein ho nu ben 
tukir
Chinese meatball soup
corn soup
cake
stir fry vegetables (equivalent cap cay – Indonesian)
salted vegetables
cooked rice
fried rice with egg (equivalent nasi goreng – Indonesian)
cooked vegetables, bean curd squares and peanut sauce
banana fritters (cooked in a batter)
boiled meat, potato, capsicum, chilli and spice with greens
curry
fish soup
dried fish
fried fish
slow cooked meat (often beef) with coconut milk and spices
sardines, tamarind sauce, spices, steamed in palm leaves
salad (greens like lettuce with garlic, vinegar and olive oil dressing)
chilli sauce (often well salted unlike the Indonesian variety)
(grilled meat on a stick, usually with a peanut sauce)
rice porridge (weaning food for infants)
ice cream
cooked in coconut milk
traditional spiced meat cooked in bamboo

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