Greetings and Introductions
Master the fundamentals of Tetum language
Module 1: Greetings and Introductions
Skill 1 – Common Greetings
In Tetum, greetings are used to show respect, politeness, and friendliness when meeting someone. They change depending on the time of the day, just like in English (“Good morning”, “Good afternoon”). Greeting someone politely is an important part of daily communication in Timor-Leste.
| Tetum | English Translation | Usage Context |
|---|---|---|
| Dader-diak | Good morning | From sunrise until around 12:00 PM |
| Loraik-diak | Good afternoon | From around 12:00 PM to sunset |
| Kalan-diak | Good night | After sunset or at night |
| Diak ka lae? | How are you? | Anytime you want to ask about someone’s condition |
| Hau diak | I am fine | Answer when someone asks how you are |
Examples
Example 1 – Morning greeting:
Tetum: Loron-diak, diak ka lae?
English: Good morning, how are you?
Example 2 – Afternoon greeting:
Tetum: Loraik-diak, diak ka lae?
English: Good afternoon, how are you?
Example 3 – Night greeting and response:
Tetum: kalan-diak, hau diak.
English: Good night, I am fine.
Tetum: Loron-diak, diak ka lae?
English: Good morning, how are you?
Example 2 – Afternoon greeting:
Tetum: Loraik-diak, diak ka lae?
English: Good afternoon, how are you?
Example 3 – Night greeting and response:
Tetum: kalan-diak, hau diak.
English: Good night, I am fine.
Practice
A. Fill in the blanks with the correct Tetum greeting word:
- ________, diak ka lae? (morning)
- ________, hau diak. (afternoon)
- ________, diak ka lae? (night)
Answer Key & Explanation
A. Fill in the blanks
- Loron-diak → Morning greeting
- Loraik-diak → Afternoon greeting
- Kalan-diak → Night greeting
- 4. Loron-diak, diak ka lae?
- 5. Kalan-diak, hau diak.
- Bondia is used in the morning (sunrise–noon).
- Botarde is used in the afternoon (noon–sunset).
- Bonoite is used at night (after sunset).
- Diak ka lae? means “How are you?”
- Hau diak means “I am fine.”