Tetun
Tetum
Austronesian (Central Malayo-Polynesian)
Tetum (Tetun; ISO 639-3: tet) is an Austronesian language and, under Timor-Leste’s 2002 Constitution, one of the country’s two official languages alongside Portuguese. Tetun Dili, also called Tetun Prasa, is the principal national lingua franca and the basis of Official Tetum; centuries of contact have given it extensive Portuguese vocabulary. Tetun Terik comprises more conservative regional varieties and retains grammatical features reduced or lost in Tetun Dili. Tetum generally has subject–verb–object order and is largely analytic, expressing many grammatical relationships through word order, particles, and function words rather than extensive inflection; its pronouns distinguish inclusive and exclusive first-person plural. Government Decree 1/2004 adopted the Latin-based Standard Orthography of Official Tetum developed by the National Institute of Linguistics for use in state administration, education, and public communication.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Tetum
Sources
- Hull, Geoffrey (2002) Standard Tetum-English Dictionary (row spelling: haʼu, diʼak, xá, kafé, obrigadu); Tetun Dili Bible (bible.com 4763, 3775); Wiktionary Tetum
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Central Malayo-Polynesian)
| Meaning | Tetum | Atoni | Old Malay | Proto-Austronesian | Banjar | Batak Angkola | Old Cham |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | bee /beː/ | oe /oe/ | air /air/ | *daNum /daNum/ | banyu /baɲu/ | aek /aek/ | ie /ʔiə/ |
| Fire | ahi /ahi/ | ai /ai/ | api /api/ | *Sapuy /Sapuy/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | apuy /ʔapuj/ |
| Sun | loron /loɾon/ | manas /manas/ | matari /matari/ | *waRi /waRi/ | matahari /matahari/ | mata ni ari /mata ni ari/ | huriy /hurij/ |
| Moon | fulan /fulan/ | fun /fun/ | bulan /bulan/ | *bulaN /bulaN/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Star | fitun /ˈfitun/ | kfu /kfuʔ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | *bituqen /bituqen/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bituk /bituʔ/ |
| Night | kalan /kalan/ | fai /fai/ | malam /malam/ | *beRŋi /beʀŋi/ | malam /malam/ | borngin /borŋin/ | malam /malam/ |
| Rain | udan /ˈudan/ | ulan /ˈulan/ | — | *quzaN /quzaN/ | hujan /ˈhudʒan/ | udan /uˈdan/ | — |
| Snow | neve /ˈnɛvɛ/ | — | — | *SuReNa /SuReNa/ | salju /saldʒu/ | salju /saldʒu/ | — |
| Wind | anin /ˈanin/ | anin /anin/ | — | *bali /bali/ | angin /aŋin/ | angin /aŋin/ | — |
| Earth | rai /ˈrai/ | afu /afu/ | — | *taneq /taneq/ | tanah /tanah/ | tano /tano/ | — |
| Stone | fatuk /ˈfatuk/ | fatu /fatu/ | batu /batu/ | *batu /batu/ | batu /ˈbatu/ | batu /batu/ | batau /batau/ |
| Mountain | foho /foho/ | nuʼaf /nuʔaf/ | — | *bukij /bukij/ | gunung /ɡunuŋ/ | dolok /dolok/ | — |
| Sea | tasi /tasi/ | tasi /tasi/ | — | *tenem /tenem/ | laut /laut/ | laut /laut/ | — |
| Mother | inan /inan/ | ainaf /ainaf/ | ibu /ibu/ | *ina /ina/ | uma /uma/ | inang /inaŋ/ | inā /ina/ |
| Father | aman /aman/ | amat /amat/ | bapa /bapa/ | *ama /ama/ | abah /abah/ | amang /amaŋ/ | amā /ama/ |
| Daughter | oan feto /oan feto/ | anfeto /anfeto/ | — | — | anak babinian /anak babinian/ | boru /boru/ | — |
| I | haʼu /haʔu/ | au /au/ | aku /aku/ | *aku /aku/ | aku /aku/ | au /au/ | ku /ku/ |
| You | ó /ɔ/ | ho /ho/ | kamu /kamu/ | *iSu /iSu/ | ikam /ikam/ | ho /ho/ | hã /haː/ |
| We | ita / ami /ita / ami/ | hit / hai /hit / hai/ | kita / kami /kita / kami/ | *kita / *kami /kita / kami/ | kita / kami /kita / kami/ | hita / hami /hita / hami/ | — /—/ |
| Name | naran /ˈnaran/ | kanan /ˈkanan/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | *ŋajan /ŋajan/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | goar /ɡoar/ | angan /aŋan/ |
| Person | ema /ema/ | atoni /atoni/ | — | *Cau /tsau/ | urang /uraŋ/ | halak /halak/ | urāṅ /uraːŋ/ |
| Head | ulun /ulun/ | nakaf /nakaf/ | — | *quluh /quluh/ | kapala /kapala/ | ulu /ulu/ | — |
| Eye | matan /matan/ | matan /matan/ | mata /mata/ | *maCa /maCa/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | matā /mata/ |
| Ear | tilun /tilun/ | luken /luken/ | — | *Caliŋa /tsaliŋa/ | talinga /taˈliŋa/ | pinggol /piŋɡol/ | — |
| Nose | inus /inus/ | pana /pana/ | — | *ujuŋ /ujuŋ/ | hidung /hiduŋ/ | igung /iɡuŋ/ | idung /iduŋ/ |
| Mouth | ibun /ˈibun/ | fefan /fefan/ | — | — | muntung /muntuŋ/ | baba /baba/ | — |
| Tooth | nehan /nehan/ | nisi /nisi/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | *nipen /nipen/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | ipon /ipon/ | tagai /taɡaj/ |
| Tongue | nanaan /nanaːn/ | maaʼ /maːʔ/ | lidah /lidah/ | *Sema /Sema/ | ilat /ilat/ | dila /dila/ | dalah /dalah/ |
| Hand | liman /liman/ | ʼniman /ʔniman/ | tangan /taŋan/ | *lima /lima/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ | taŋin /taŋin/ |
| Foot | ain /ain/ | haef /haef/ | — | *qaqay /qaqay/ | batis /batis/ | pat /pat/ | takai /takai/ |
| Heart | fuan /fuan/ | nesa /nesa/ | hati /hati/ | *pusuq /pusuq/ | ati /ati/ | roha /roha/ | hatai /hatai/ |
| Bone | ruin /ruin/ | nuʼi /nuʔi/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ | *CuqelaN /CuqelaN/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ | holi-holi /holiˈholi/ | talang /talaŋ/ |
| Blood | raan /raːn/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | darah /darah/ | *daRaq /daRaq/ | darah /darah/ | mudar /mudar/ | darah /darah/ |
| Poop | teen /teːn/ | — | — | *Caqi /tsaqi/ | tahi /tahi/ | — | — |
| Love | domin /domin/ | nekat /nekat/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | — /—/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | holong /holoŋ/ | klɛn /klɛn/ |
| Tree | ai /ai/ | hau /hau/ | kayu /kaju/ | *kaSiw /kaSiw/ | batang /bataŋ/ | hayu /haju/ | phuəŋ /pʰuəŋ/ |
| Dog | asu /asu/ | asu /asu/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | *asu /asu/ | hadupan /hadupan/ | asu /asu/ | asuv /asuw/ |
| Cat | busa /busa/ | meo /meo/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | pusa /pusa/ | huting /hutiŋ/ | mɛw /mɛw/ |
| Fish | ikan /ˈikan/ | ikaʼ /ikaʔ/ | ikan /ikan/ | *Sikan /Sikan/ | iwak /ˈiwak/ | ihan /ˈihan/ | ikan /ikan/ |
| Bird | manu /manu/ | kolo /kolo/ | burung /buruŋ/ | *manuk /manuk/ | burung /buruŋ/ | unggas /uŋɡas/ | cim /tʃim/ |
| Butterfly | borboleta /borboleta/ | — | — | *baŋbaŋ /baŋbaŋ/ | kupu-kupu /kupukupu/ | — | — |
| Egg | tolun /tolun/ | teko /teko/ | — | *qiCeluR /qicəlur/ | hintalu /hintalu/ | pira /pira/ | — |
| Bear | ursu /ˈursu/ | — | — | *Cumay /Cumay/ | biruang /biruaŋ/ | gompul /ɡompul/ | — |
| Horse | kuda /kuda/ | bikase /bikase/ | — | — | kuda /kuda/ | kudo /kudo/ | — |
| House | uma /uma/ | ume /ume/ | rumah /rumah/ | *Rumaq /Rumaq/ | rumah /rumah/ | bagas /baɡas/ | sɔŋ /sɔŋ/ |
| Milk | susubeen /susubeːn/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | — | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | — |
| Honey | bani-been /bani-beːn/ | oni /oni/ | — | — | madu /madu/ | aer ni loba /aer ni loba/ | — |
| Salt | masin /ˈmasin/ | masiʼ /masiʔ/ | garam /ɡaram/ | *qasiRa /qasiRa/ | uyah /ujah/ | sira /sira/ | — |
| Wine | tua-uvas /tua uvas/ | — | — | — | anggur /aŋɡur/ | anggur /aŋɡur/ | — |
| Rice | foos /foːs/ | — | — | *beRas /beRas/ | baras /baras/ | — | — |
| Chocolate | xoklate /ʃoklate/ | — | — | — | suklat /ˈsuklat/ | — | — |
| Iron | besi /ˈbesi/ | besi /besi/ | — | — | wasi /ˈwasi/ | bosi /bosi/ | — |
| Wheel | roda /roda/ | — | — | — | roda /roda/ | roda /roda/ | — |
| Silk | seda /seda/ | sutra /sutra/ | — | — | sutra /sutra/ | surto /surto/ | — |
| Book | livru /livɾu/ | sulat /sulat/ | — | — | buku /buku/ | buku /buku/ | — |
| Eat | han /han/ | ah /ah/ | makan /makan/ | *kaen /kaen/ | makan /makan/ | mangan /maŋan/ | bɔh /bɔh/ |
| Drink | hemu /hemu/ | ninu /ninu/ | minum /minum/ | *inum /inum/ | nginum /ŋinum/ | minum /minum/ | mɛnum /mɛnum/ |
| Sleep | toba /ˈtoba/ | tup /tup/ | tidur /tidur/ | *tuduR /tuduR/ | guring /ɡuriŋ/ | modom /modom/ | — |
| One | ida /ida/ | mese /mese/ | sa /sa/ | *isa /isa/ | asa /asa/ | sada /sada/ | sa /sa/ |
| Two | rua /ˈrua/ | nua /ˈnua/ | dua /dua/ | *duSa /duSa/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ |
| Three | tolu /tolu/ | tenu /tenu/ | tlu /tlu/ | *telu /telu/ | talu /talu/ | tolu /tolu/ | klau /klau/ |
| Four | haat /haːt/ | ha /ha/ | mpat /əmpat/ | *Sepat /səpat/ | ampat /ampat/ | opat /opat/ | pāt /paːt/ |
| Five | lima /lima/ | nim /nim/ | lima /lima/ | *lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Hundred | atus /atus/ | natun /natun/ | ratus /ratus/ | *RaCus /RaCus/ | saratus /saratus/ | saratus /saratus/ | — |
| Hello | bondia /bondia/ | neut /neut/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | salam /salam/ | horas /horas/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | obrigadu /obɾiɡadu/ | neno biluk /neno biluk/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | tarima kasih /tarima kasih/ | mauliate /mauliate/ | — /—/ |
| Good | diʼak /diʔak/ | malaek /malaek/ | baik /baik/ | — /—/ | bagus /baɡus/ | denggan /deŋɡan/ | siam /siam/ |
| New | foun /foun/ | feʼu /feʔu/ | — | *baqeRuh /baqeRuh/ | hanyar /haɲar/ | imbaru /imbaru/ | — |
| Red | mean /mean/ | mtasaʼ /mtasaʔ/ | merah /merah/ | *ma-iRaq /ma-iRaq/ | habang /habaŋ/ | rara /rara/ | mưriah /mɨriah/ |
| White | mutin /mutin/ | mutiʼ /mutiʔ/ | putih /putih/ | *ma-putiq /maputiq/ | putih /putih/ | bontar /bontar/ | patih /patih/ |
| Black | metan /metan/ | metan /metan/ | hitam /hitam/ | *qeCeŋeN /qeCeŋeN/ | hirang /hiraŋ/ | lomlom /lomlom/ | hitam /hitam/ |
| Green | matak /matak/ | mateʼ /mateʔ/ | — | — | hijau /hidʒau/ | rata /rata/ | — |
| Blue | biru /biru/ | — | — | — | biru /biru/ | rata langit /rata laŋit/ | — |
| Computer | komputadór /komputaˈdoɾ/ | — | — | — | komputer /komˈputər/ | komputer /komˈputər/ | — |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /waifai/ | — | — | — | Wi-Fi | — | — |
| Tea | xá /ʃa/ | — | — | — | teh /teh/ | — | — |
| Coffee | kafé /kaˈfɛ/ | — | — | — | kupi /kupi/ | — | — |
| Sugar | masin-midar /masin-midar/ | — | — | — | gula /ɡula/ | — | — |
| Orange | sabraka /sabraka/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | sia-nulu resin sia /sia-nulu resin sia/ | boʼsio am sio /boʔsio am sio/ | — | — | sambilan puluh sambilan /sambilan puluh sambilan/ | sambilan pulu sambilan /sambilan pulu sambilan/ | — |
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