Numbers for Money, Dates, and Time
Master the fundamentals of Numbers for Money, Dates, and Time
Module 4: Numbers and Counting
Skill 2 – Numbers for Money, Dates, and Time
Numbers in Tetum are not just for counting — they are also used to talk about prices, dates, and time. This lesson focuses on practical uses of numbers in daily life, especially when shopping, making appointments, or talking about important dates. You'll learn how to combine numbers with money, months, and hours in simple, natural sentences.
You will learn to:
- Say and understand prices in Tetum.
- Give and ask about dates.
- Tell the time in daily conversations.
1. Key Vocabulary
Money & Prices
- dolar → dollar
- sentavus → cent
- Ida nee hira? → How much is this?
- Nee dolar hira? → How many dollars is this?
Dates
- fulan → month
- loron → day/date
- tinan → year
- ohin → today
- aban → tomorrow
- horiseik → yesterday
Time
- tuku → o'clock
- dadeer → morning
- lokraik → afternoon
- kalan → evening/night
2. Examples & Mini Dialogues
1. Practice
A. Fill in the blanks:
- Ida nee dolar ______. (This is 15 dollars)
- Ohin loron ______, fulan Outubru. (Today is the 25th of October)
- Agora tuku ______ kalan. (It's 8 p.m.)
B. Translate to Tetum:
- How much is this?
- It's 11 in the morning.
2. Answer Key & Explanation
A. Fill in the blanks
- sanulu-resin lima → "Ida nee sanulu-resin lima dolar."
- rua-nulu lima → "Ohin loron rua-nulu resin lima, fulan Outubru."
- ualu → "Agora tuku walu kalan."
B. Translation
- Ida nee hira?
- Agora tuku sanulu-resin ida dadeer.
Explanation:
- Prices are said as "[number] dolar" or "[number] sentavus."
- Dates use the format loron [number], fulan [number] or fulan [month name].
- Time is said as Tuku [number] + part of day for clarity.