Editing Tetum language

{{Short description|Austronesian language spoken on Timor}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Tetum
| altname          = {{langx|pt|Tétum}}
| nativename       = Tetun
| ethnicity        = [[Tetum people|Tetum]]
| states           = [[Indonesia]] <br /> [[Timor-Leste]]
| speakers         = {{sigfig|463,500|1}}, mostly in Indonesia
| date             = 2010–2011
| ref              = e25
| familycolor      = Austronesian
| fam2             = [[Malayo-Polynesian languages|Malayo-Polynesian]]
| fam3             = [[Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages|Central–Eastern]]
| fam4             = [[Timor–Babar languages|Timor–Babar]]
| fam5             = Tetumic
| dia1             = Belunese (''Tetun Belu'')
| dia2             = Terik (''Tetun Terik'')
| nation           = {{flag|Timor-Leste}}
| minority         = {{flag|Indonesia}} ([[East Nusa Tenggara]])
| iso2             = tet
| iso3             = tet
| glotto           = tetu1245
| glottorefname    = Tetum
| map              = Tetum Terik.png
| mapcaption       = Distribution in East Timor of ''Tetum Belu'' (west) and ''Tetum Terik'' (southeast).  The majority of Tetun speakers, who live in West Timor, are not shown.
}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Tetun Dili
| altname          = Tetun Prasa<br/>{{langx|pt|Tétum Praça}}
| nativename       = ''Tetun Dili, Tetun Prasa''
| states           = [[East Timor]]
| speakers         = {{sigfig|385000|2}}
| date             = 2009
| ref              = <ref name =e25 />
| speakers2        = [[Second language|L2]]: {{sigfig|570000|2}} in East Timor<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Table 14: Second language/dialect by sex for the population over four years of age |title=Timor-Leste Population and Housing Census 2015|url=http://www.statistics.gov.tl/category/publications/census-publications/|publisher=Timor-Leste Ministry of Finance}}</ref>
| familycolor      = Austronesian
| fam2             = [[Malayo-Polynesian languages|Malayo-Polynesian]]
| fam3             = [[Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages|Central–Eastern]]
| fam4             = [[Timor–Babar languages|Timor–Babar]]
| fam5             = Tetumic
| dia1             = Belunese (''Tetun Belu'')
| dia2             = Terik (''Tetun Terik'')
| script           = [[Latin script|Latin]] ([[Tetum alphabet]])
| nation           = [[East Timor]]
| agency           = National Institute of Linguistics
| iso3             = tdt
| glotto2          = tetu1246
| glottorefname2   = Tetun Dili
| map              = Tetum Prasa.png
| mapcaption       = Distribution of Tetum Prasa mother-tongue speakers in East Timor
| notice           = IPA
}}

'''Tetum''' ({{lang|tet|Tetun}} {{IPA|tet|ˈt̪et̪un̪|}}; {{langx|id|Bahasa Tetun}}; {{langx|pt|Tétum}} {{IPA|pt|ˈtɛtũ|}})<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Linguistics Student's Handbook |last=Bauer |first=Laurie |date=2007 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |location=Edinburgh}}</ref> is an [[Austronesian languages|Austronesian language]] spoken on the island of [[Timor]]. It is one of the official languages of [[East Timor|Timor-Leste]] and it is also spoken in [[Belu Regency]] and [[Malaka Regency]], which form the eastern part of [[Indonesia]]n [[West Timor]] adjoining Timor-Leste.

There are two main forms of Tetum as a language:

*{{anchor|terik}} '''Tetum Terik''', which is a more indigenous form of Tetum marked by different word choice, less foreign influence and other characteristics such as [[Grammatical conjugation|verb conjugation]]
* '''Tetum Prasa''' ('market Tetum', from the Portuguese word {{Lang|pt|praça}} meaning 'town square') or '''Tetum Dili''' (given its widespread usage in the capital Dili). This is the form of Tetum (heavily influenced by Portuguese) that developed in Dili during colonial rule as local Tetum speakers came into contact with Portuguese missionaries, traders and colonial rulers. In East Timor, ''Tetun Dili'' is widely spoken fluently as a second language.

''[[Ethnologue]]'' classifies ''Tetun Terik'' as a dialect of Tetun.<ref name=e25/> However, without previous contact, ''Tetun Dili'' is not immediately mutually intelligible,<ref name=e25tdt>{{e25|tdt|Tetun Dili}}</ref> mainly because of the large number of Portuguese origin words used in Tetun Dili.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} Besides some grammatical simplification, Tetun Dili has been greatly influenced by the vocabulary and to a small extent by the grammar of [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], the other official language of East Timor.

==Nomenclature==
The English form ''Tetum'' is derived from Portuguese, rather than from modern Tetum. Consequently, some people regard ''Tetun'' as more appropriate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/software/tetum/contributors/cliffMorris-xhtml/index.html|title=A Traveller's Dictionary in Tetun-English and English-Tetun|website=www.gnu.org|access-date=13 June 2018}}</ref> Although this coincides with the favoured Indonesian form, and the variant with ''m'' has a longer history in English, ''Tetun'' has also been used by some Portuguese-educated Timorese, such as [[José Ramos-Horta]] and [[Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo]].

==History and dialects==
[[File:Timor Sprache en.png|thumb|Languages of [[Timor Island]]. Tetum is in yellow.]]

According to linguist Geoffrey Hull, Tetum has four dialects:<ref name="Manhitu">{{Cite book |last=Manhitu |first=Yohanes |date=2016 |title=Tetum, A Language For Everyone: Tetun, Lian Ida Ba Ema Hotu-Hotu |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uS3GDQAAQBAJ&pg=PR7 |location=New York |publisher=Mondial |page=vii-viii |isbn=9781595693211 |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref>

*''Tetun-Dili'', or ''Tetun-Prasa'' (literally 'city Tetum'), is spoken in the capital, [[Dili]], and its surroundings, in the north of the country. Because of its simpler grammar than other varieties of Tetun, extensive Portuguese loanwords, and supposed creole-like features, ''Ethnologue'' and some researchers classify it as a Tetun-based [[creole language|creole]].<ref name=e25tdt/><ref>{{Cite book |url=http://ausil.org.au/sites/ausil/files/1997%20Grimes%20etal%20Nusa%20Teng%20Guide.pdf |title=A Guide to the People and Languages of Nusa Tenggara |last1=Grimes |first1=Charles E. |last2=Tom Therik |last3=Grimes |first3=Barbara Dix |last4=Max Jacob |publisher=Artha Wacana Press |year=1997 |location=Kupang |pages=52 |access-date=2019-11-12 |archive-date=2021-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302230957/http://ausil.org.au/sites/ausil/files/1997%20Grimes%20etal%20Nusa%20Teng%20Guide.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>Hull 2004</ref> This position, however, is also disputed in that while Tetun-Dili may exhibit simpler grammar, this does not mean that Tetun-Dili is a creole.{{refn|Catharina Williams-van Klinken states otherwise,<ref>Catharina Williams-van Klinken, 2011 (2nd ed.), ''Tetun Language Course'', Peace Corps East Timor, 2nd ed. 2011, footnote, p.58</ref>}}<ref>{{Citation |last=Chen |first=Yen-Ling |title=Tetun Dili And Creoles: Another Look |date=2015 |url=http://ling.hawaii.edu/wp-content/uploads/wp-Yen-ling.pdf |work=Working Papers in Linguistics |volume=46 |issue=7 |publisher=University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa}}</ref> According to ''Ethnologue'', there were 50,000 native Tetun-Dili speakers in East Timor in 2004 and {{sigfig|374,000|2}} L2 users.<ref name=e25tdt/>
*''Tetun-Terik'' is spoken in the south and southwestern coastal regions. According to ''Ethnologue'', there were 50,000 Tetun-Terik speakers in East Timor in 1995.<ref name="Manhitu"/>
*''Tetun-Belu'', or the Belunese dialect, is spoken in a central strip of the island of Timor from the [[Ombai Strait]] to the [[Timor Sea]], and is split between [[East Timor]] and [[West Timor]], where it is considered a {{Lang|id|bahasa daerah}} or 'regional language', with no official status in [[Indonesia]], although it is used by the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Atambua|Diocese]] of [[Atambua]] in Roman Catholic rites.
*The ''Nana'ek'' dialect is spoken in the village of [[Metinaro]], on the coastal road between Dili and [[Manatuto]].

''Tetun-Belu'' and ''Tetun-Terik'' are not spoken outside their home territories. ''Tetun-Prasa'' is the form of Tetum that is spoken throughout East Timor. Although Portuguese was the official language of [[Portuguese Timor]] until 1975, ''Tetun-Prasa'' has always been the predominant ''[[lingua franca]]'' in the eastern part of the island.

In the fifteenth century, before the arrival of the Portuguese, Tetum had spread through central and eastern Timor as a [[contact language]] under the aegis of the Belunese-speaking [[Wehali|Kingdom of Wehali]], at that time the most powerful kingdom in the island. The Portuguese (present in Timor from c. 1556) made most of their settlements in the west, where [[Atoni|Dawan]] was spoken, and it was not until 1769, when the capital was moved from Lifau ([[Oecusse District|Oecussi]]) to Dili that they began to promote Tetum as an inter-regional language in their colony. Timor was one of the few Portuguese colonies where a local language, and not a form of Portuguese, became the [[lingua franca]]: this is because Portuguese rule was indirect rather than direct, the Europeans governing through local kings who embraced Catholicism and became vassals of the [[King of Portugal]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.asianlang.mq.edu.au/INL/langs.html |title=The Languages of East Timor: Some Basic Facts |last=Hull |first=Geoffrey |date=24 August 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119191225/http://www.asianlang.mq.edu.au/INL/langs.html |archive-date=2008-01-19}}</ref>

Following the [[Carnation Revolution]] in Portugal in 1974, [[Indonesian invasion of East Timor|Indonesia invaded East Timor]], declaring it "the Republic's 27th Province". The use of Portuguese was banned, and [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] was declared the sole official language, but the [[Roman Catholic Church]] adopted Tetum as its liturgical language, making it a focus for cultural and national identity.<ref>[http://geo.ya.com/travelimages/timor/languages.html "Tetum and Other Languages of East Timor"],  from Dr. Geoffrey Hull's Preface to ''Mai Kolia Tetun: A Course in Tetum-Praca (The Lingua Franca of East Timor)''</ref> After the [[United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor]] (UNTAET) took over governance in 1999, Tetun (Dili) was proclaimed the country's official language, even though according to ''[[Encarta]] [[Winkler Prins]]'' it was only spoken by about 8% of the native population at the time, while the elite (consisting of 20 to 30 families) spoke Portuguese and most adolescents had been educated in Indonesian.<ref>Encarta-encyclopedie Winkler Prins (1993–2002) s.v. "Oost-Timor. §1.5 Onafhankelijkheid". Microsoft Corporation/Het Spectrum.</ref> When East Timor gained its independence in 2002, Tetum and Portuguese were declared as official languages. The 2010 census found that Tetum Prasa had 385,269 native speakers on a total population of 1,053,971, meaning that the share of native Tetum Prasa/Dili speakers had increased to 36.6% during the 2000s.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Table 13: Population distribution by mother tongue, Urban Rural and District|title=Volume 2: Population Distribution by Administrative Areas, Population and Housing Census of Timor-Leste|url=http://www.mof.gov.tl/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Publication-2-English-Web.pdf|publisher=Timor-Leste Ministry of Finance|page=205}}</ref>

In addition to regional varieties of Tetum in East Timor, there are variations in vocabulary and pronunciation, partly due to Portuguese and Indonesian influence. The Tetum spoken by East Timorese migrants living in [[Portugal]] and [[Australia]] are more Portuguese-influenced, as many of those speakers were not educated in Indonesian.

==Vocabulary==

===Indigenous===
The Tetum name for East Timor is {{Lang|tet|Timór Lorosa'e}}, which means 'Timor of the rising sun', or, less poetically, 'East Timor'; {{Lang|tet|lorosa'e}} comes from {{Lang|tet|loro}} 'sun' and {{Lang|tet|sa'e}} 'to rise, to go up'.  The noun for 'word' is {{Lang|tet|liafuan}}, from {{Lang|tet|lia}} 'voice' and {{Lang|tet|fuan}} 'fruit'. Some more words in Tetum:
<!--ARE THESE AUSTRONESIAN, OR FROM MALAY? They're Austronesian - the Malay equivalents would be besar, perempuan, gunung, kecil, lelaki, negara, laut-->
[[Image:Kursu portuges 4.jpg|thumb|right|[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] (left) and Tetum (right). From a Portuguese course for Tetum speakers. The text says: "Our generation sometimes has difficulty distinguishing between 'j' and 'z'"]]

*{{Lang|tet|aas}} – 'high'
*{{Lang|tet|aat}} – 'bad'
*{{Lang|tet|ai}} – 'tree'
*{{Lang|tet|ai-fuan}} – 'fruit'
*{{Lang|tet|ai-manas}} – 'spice'
*{{Lang|tet|bee}} – 'water'
*{{Lang|tet|belun}} – 'friend'
*{{Lang|tet|boot}} – 'big'
*{{Lang|tet|di'ak}} – 'good'
*{{Lang|tet|domin}} – 'love'
*{{Lang|tet|ema}} – 'person, people'
*{{Lang|tet|fatin}} – 'place'
*{{Lang|tet|feto}} – 'woman'
*{{Lang|tet|foho}} – 'mountain'
*{{Lang|tet|fulan}} – 'moon/month'
*{{Lang|tet|funu}} – 'war'
*{{Lang|tet|hamlaha}} – 'hungry'
*{{Lang|tet|haan}} – 'eat'
*{{Lang|tet|hahán}} – 'food'
*{{Lang|tet|hemu}} – 'drink'
*{{Lang|tet|hotu}} – 'all'
*{{Lang|tet|ida}} – 'one'
*{{Lang|tet|kalan}} – 'night'
*{{Lang|tet|ki'ik}} – 'little'
*{{Lang|tet|kraik}} – 'low'
*{{Lang|tet|labarik}} – 'child'
*{{Lang|tet|lafaek}} – 'crocodile'
*{{Lang|tet|lais}} – 'fast'
*{{Lang|tet|lalenok}} – 'mirror'
*{{Lang|tet|laran}} – 'inside'
*{{Lang|tet|lia}} – 'language'
*{{Lang|tet|liafuan}} – 'word' (from {{Lang|tet|lian}} 'voice' and {{Lang|tet|fuan}} 'fruit')
*{{Lang|tet|lian}} – 'voice', 'language'
*{{Lang|tet|loos}} – 'true', 'tebes' also acts as a synonym. 
*{{Lang|tet|loron}} – 'day'
*{{Lang|tet|lokraik}} – 'afternoon'
*{{Lang|tet|tauk}} – 'scared'
*{{Lang|tet|mane}} – 'man'
*{{Lang|tet|maromak}} – 'god'
*{{Lang|tet|moris}} – 'life'
*{{Lang|tet|rai}} – 'country'
*{{Lang|tet|tasi}} – 'sea'
*{{Lang|tet|tinan}} – 'year'
*{{Lang|tet|tebes}} – 'very'
*{{Lang|tet|teen}} – 'dirt', 'sediment' 
*{{Lang|tet|tos}} – 'hard'
*{{Lang|tet|uluk}} – 'first'
*{{Lang|tet|ulun}} – 'head'

===From Portuguese===
Words derived from Portuguese:

*{{Lang|tet|adeus}} – 'goodbye'
*{{Lang|tet|ajuda}} – 'help'
*{{Lang|tet|aprende}} – 'learn', from {{Lang|pt|aprender}}
*{{Lang|tet|arkitetura}} – 'architecture', from {{Lang|pt|arquitetura}}
*{{Lang|tet|arkuiris}} – 'rainbow', from {{Lang|pt|arco-íris}}
*{{Lang|tet|aviaun}} – 'airplane', from {{Lang|pt|avião}}
*{{Lang|tet|demais}} – 'too much'
*{{Lang|tet|desizaun}} – 'decision', from {{Lang|pt|decisão}}
*{{Lang|tet|deskulpa}} – 'sorry', from {{Lang|pt|desculpa}}
*{{Lang|tet|doutor}} – 'doctor'
*{{Lang|tet|edukasaun}} – 'education', from {{Lang|pt|educação}}
*{{Lang|tet|ekipamentu}} – 'equipment', from {{Lang|pt|equipamento}}
*{{Lang|tet|eletrisidade}} – 'electricity', from {{Lang|pt|electricidade}}
*{{Lang|tet|embaixada}} – 'embassy'
*{{Lang|tet|emerjensia}} – 'emergency', from {{Lang|pt|emergência}}
*{{Lang|tet|enjeñaria}} – 'engineering', from {{Lang|pt|engenharia}}
*{{Lang|tet|entaun}} – 'so', 'well', from {{Lang|pt|então}}
*{{Lang|tet|envezde}} 'instead of', from {{Lang|pt|em vez de}}
*{{Lang|tet|eskola}} – 'school', from {{Lang|pt|escola}}
*{{Lang|tet|esperiénsia}} – 'experience', from {{Lang|pt|experiência}}
*{{Lang|tet|familia}} – 'family', from {{Lang|pt|família}}
*{{Lang|tet|fízika}} – 'physics', from {{Lang|pt|física}}
*{{Lang|tet|forsa}} – 'force', from {{Lang|pt|força}}
*{{Lang|tet|froñas}} – 'pillowcases', from {{Lang|pt|fronhas}}
*{{Lang|tet|gitarrista}} – 'guitarist', from {{Lang|pt|guitarrista}}
*{{Lang|tet|governu}} – 'government', from {{Lang|pt|governo}}
*{{Lang|tet|ideia}} – 'idea'
*{{Lang|tet|igreja}} – 'church'
*{{Lang|tet|imposivel}} – 'impossible', from {{Lang|pt|impossível}}
*{{Lang|tet|istória}} – 'history', from {{Lang|pt|história}}
*{{Lang|tet|jerasaun}} – 'generation', from {{Lang|pt|geração}}
*{{Lang|tet|kafé}} – 'coffee', from {{Lang|pt|café}}
*{{Lang|tet|kaisaun}} – 'coffin', from {{Lang|pt|caixão}}
*{{Lang|tet|keiju}} – 'cheese', from {{Lang|pt|queijo}}
*{{Lang|tet|kompañia}} – 'company', from {{Lang|pt|companhia}}
*{{Lang|tet|komprende}} – 'understand', from {{Lang|pt|compreender}}
*{{Lang|tet|konsulta}} – 'consultation', from {{Lang|pt|consulta}}
*{{Lang|tet|korrupsaun}} – 'corruption', from {{Lang|pt|corrupção}}
*{{Lang|tet|kuandu}} – 'when', from {{Lang|pt|quando}}
*{{Lang|tet|mensajen}} – 'message', from {{Lang|pt|mensagem}}
*{{Lang|tet|menus}} – 'less', from {{Lang|pt|menos}}
*{{Lang|tet|milagre}} – 'miracle'
*{{Lang|tet|mundu}} – 'world', from {{Lang|pt|mundo}}
*{{Lang|tet|múzika}} – 'music', from {{Lang|pt|música}}
*{{Lang|tet|Natál}} – 'Christmas', from {{Lang|pt|Natal}}
*{{Lang|tet|obrigadu/a}} – 'thanks', from {{Lang|pt|obrigado/a}}
*{{Lang|tet|organizasaun}} – 'organization', from {{Lang|pt|organização}}
*{{Lang|tet|pasadu}} – 'past', from {{Lang|pt|passado}}
*{{Lang|tet|pasaporte}} – 'passport', from {{Lang|pt|passaporte}}
*{{Lang|tet|paun}} – 'bread', from {{Lang|pt|pão}}
*{{Lang|tet|pergunta}} – 'question'
*{{Lang|tet|polísia}} – 'police', from {{Lang|pt|polícia}}
*{{Lang|tet|povu}} – 'people', from {{Lang|pt|povo}}
*{{Lang|tet|prezidente}} – 'president', from {{Lang|pt|presidente}}
*{{Lang|tet|profesór}} – 'teacher', from {{Lang|pt|professor}}
*{{Lang|tet|profisaun}} – 'profession', from {{Lang|pt|profissão}}
*{{Lang|tet|relijiaun}} – 'religion', from {{Lang|pt|religião}}
*{{Lang|tet|semana}} – 'week'
*{{Lang|tet|serbisu}} – 'work', from {{Lang|pt|serviço}}
*{{Lang|tet|serveja}} – 'beer', from {{Lang|pt|cerveja}}
*{{Lang|tet|teknolojia}} – 'technology', from {{Lang|pt|tecnologia}}
*{{Lang|tet|televizaun}} – 'television', from {{Lang|pt|televisão}}
*{{Lang|tet|tenke}} – 'must', from {{Lang|pt|tem que}}
*{{Lang|tet|tendénsia}} – 'tendency', from {{Lang|pt|tendência}}
*{{Lang|tet|terrorizmu}} – 'terrorism', from {{Lang|pt|terrorismo}}
*{{Lang|tet|xefe}} – 'chief', from {{Lang|pt|chefe}}

===From Malay===
[[Image:Kursu portuges 5.jpg|thumb|right|Tetum (left) and Portuguese (right). From a Portuguese course for Tetum speakers. The text says: "Some people pronounce wrongly '*meja', '*uja' and '*abuja' instead of '[[wikt:mesa#Portuguese|mesa]]', '[[wikt:usa#Portuguese|usa]]' and '[[wikt:abusa#Portuguese|abusa]]'."]]

As a result of [[Bazaar Malay]] being a regional lingua franca and of [[indonesian language|Indonesian]] being a working language, many words are derived from [[Malay language|Malay]], including:

*{{Lang|tet|atus}} 'hundred', from {{Lang|ms|ratus}}
*{{Lang|tet|barak}} 'much', from {{Lang|ms|banyak}}
*{{Lang|tet|bele}} 'can', from {{Lang|ms|boleh}}
*{{Lang|tet|besi}} 'iron', from {{Lang|ms|besi}}
*{{Lang|tet|udan}} 'rain', from {{Lang|ms|hujan}}
*{{Lang|tet|dalan}} 'way' or 'road', from {{Lang|ms|jalan}}
*{{Lang|tet|fatu(k)}} 'stone', from {{Lang|ms|batu}}
*{{Lang|tet|fulan}} 'moon' or 'month' from {{Lang|ms|bulan}}
*{{Lang|tet|malae}} 'foreigner', from {{Lang|ms|melayu}} 'Malay'
*{{Lang|tet|manas}} 'hot', from {{Lang|ms|panas}}
*{{Lang|tet|rihun}} 'thousand', from {{Lang|ms|ribu}}
*{{Lang|tet|sala}} 'wrong', from {{Lang|ms|salah}}
*{{Lang|tet|tulun}} 'help', from {{Lang|ms|tolong}}
*{{Lang|tet|dapur}} 'kitchen', from {{Lang|ms|dapur}}
*{{Lang|tet|uma}} 'house', from {{Lang|ms|rumah}}

In addition, as a legacy of [[Indonesian occupation of East Timor|Indonesian rule]], other words of Malay origin have entered Tetum, through Indonesian.

===Numerals===
*{{Lang|tet|ida}} 'one'
*{{Lang|tet|rua}} 'two'
*{{Lang|tet|tolu}} 'three'
*{{Lang|tet|haat}} 'four'
*{{Lang|tet|lima}} 'five'
*{{Lang|tet|neen}} 'six'
*{{Lang|tet|hitu}} 'seven'
*{{Lang|tet|ualu}} 'eight'
*{{Lang|tet|sia}} 'nine'
*{{Lang|tet|sanulu}} 'ten'
*{{Lang|tet|ruanulu}} 'twenty'

However, Tetum speakers often use [[Indonesian language|Malay/Indonesian]] or [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] numbers instead, such as {{Lang|tet|delapan}} or {{Lang|tet|oito}} 'eight' instead of {{Lang|tet|ualu}}, especially for numbers over one thousand.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Combinations===
Tetum has many hybrid words, which are [[Combining form|combinations]] of indigenous and Portuguese words. These often include an indigenous Tetum verb, with a Portuguese suffix ''-dór'' (similar to '-er'). For example:

* {{Lang|tet|han}} ('to eat') {{Lang|tet|handór}} – glutton
* {{Lang|tet|hemu}} ('to drink') {{Lang|tet|hemudór}} – heavy drinker
* {{Lang|tet|hateten}} ('to say') {{Lang|tet|hatetendór}} – chatterbox, talkative person
* {{Lang|tet|sisi}} ('to nag, pester') {{Lang|tet|sisidór}} – nag, pest

==Basic phrases==
*{{Lang|tet|Bondia}} – 'Good morning'  (from Portuguese {{Lang|ms|Bom dia}}).
*{{Lang|tet|Di'ak ka lae?}} – 'How are you?' (literally 'Are you well or not?')
*{{Lang|tet|Ha'u di'ak}} – 'I'm fine.'
*{{Lang|tet|Obrigadu/Obrigada}} – 'Thank you', said by a male/female (from Portuguese {{Lang|ms|Obrigado/Obrigada}}).
*{{Lang|tet|Ita bele ko'alia Tetun?}} – 'Do you speak Tetum?'
*{{Lang|tet|Loos}} – 'Right'
*{{Lang|tet|Lae}} – 'No.'
*{{Lang|tet|Ha'u'}} [{{Lang|tet|la}}] {{Lang|tet|komprende}} – 'I [do not] understand' (from Portuguese {{Lang|ms|compreender}}).

==Grammar==

=== Morphology ===

==== Personal pronouns ====
{| class="wikitable" 
|-
! colspan="2" | 
! Singular
! Plural
|-
! rowspan="2" | 1st person
! exclusive
| rowspan="2" | {{Lang|tet|Ha'u(-nia)}}
| {{Lang|tet|Ami(-nia)}}
|-
! inclusive
| {{Lang|tet|Ita(-nia)}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | 2nd person
! familiar
| {{Lang|tet|O(-nia)}}
| {{Lang|tet|Imi(-nia)}}
|-
! polite
| {{Lang|tet|Ita(-nia)}}
| {{Lang|tet|Ita boot sira(-nia)}}
|-
! colspan="2" | 3rd person
| {{Lang|tet|Nia (ninia)}}
| {{Lang|tet|Sira(-nia)}}
|}

<ref name="Williams-van Klinken 2002">{{Cite book |url=http://sealang.net/archives/pl/pdf/PL-528.pdf |title=Tetun Dili: A grammar of an East Timorese language |last1=Williams-van Klinken |first1=Catharina |last2=Hajek |first2=John |last3=Nordlinger |first3=Rachel |date=2002 |publisher=Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University |isbn=0858835096 |location=Canberra |doi=10.15144/pl-528 |hdl=1885/146149 |hdl-access=free}}</ref>

{{interlinear|number=(1)
|Hau rona asu hatenu
|1S hear dog barking
|"I hear the dog barking"|lang=tet}}

{{interlinear|number=(2)
|Nia sosa sigaru
|3S buys cigarettes
|"He/She buys cigarettes"|lang=tet}}

{{interlinear|number=(3)
|Ita rona rádiu?
|1PL hearing radio
|"Are we hearing a radio?"|lang=tet}}

{{interlinear
| number = (4)|Sira moris hotu ka?|3PL alive all ?|"Are they all alive?"
| lang = tet
}}

A common occurrence is to use titles such as {{Lang|tet|Senhora}} for a woman or names rather than pronouns when addressing people.

{{interlinear|number=(1)
|Senhora mai hori bain-hira?
|Mrs come PAST when
|"When did you arrive?"<ref name="Williams-van Klinken 2002" />|lang=tet}}

The second person singular pronoun {{Lang|tet|Ó}} is used generally with children, friends or family, while with strangers or people of higher social status, {{Lang|tet|Ita}} or {{Lang|tet|Ita boot}} is used.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Williams-van Klinken |first1=Catharina |last2=Hajek |first2=John |date=2006 |title=Patterns of address in Dili Tetum, East Timor |url=https://benjamins.com/catalog/aral.29.2.06wil/fulltext |journal=Australian Review of Applied Linguistics |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=21.1–21.18 |doi=10.2104/aral0621|doi-access=free }}</ref>

{{interlinear|number=(1)
|Nina, Ó iha nebee?
|Nina 2S.FAM LOC where
|"Nina, where are you?"|lang=tet}}

==== Nouns and pronouns ====

===== Plural =====

The plural is not normally marked on nouns, but the word {{Lang|tet|sira}} 'they' can express it when necessary.

:{{Lang|tet|feto}} 'woman/women' → {{Lang|tet|feto sira}} 'women'

However, the plural ending ''-s'' of nouns of Portuguese origin is sometimes retained.

:{{Lang|tet|Estadus Unidus}} – United States (from {{Lang|ms|Estados Unidos}})
:{{Lang|tet|Nasoens Unidas}} – United Nations (from {{Lang|ms|Nações Unidas}})

===== Definiteness =====

Tetum has an optional indefinite [[Article (grammar)|article]] {{Lang|tet|ida}} ('one'), used after nouns:

:{{Lang|tet|labarik ida}} – a child

There is no definite article, but the [[demonstrative]]s {{Lang|tet|ida-ne'e}} ('this one') and {{Lang|tet|ida-ne'ebá}} ('that one') may be used to express definiteness:

:{{Lang|tet|labarik ida-ne'e}} – this child, the child
:{{Lang|tet|labarik ida-ne'ebá}} – that child, the child

In the plural, {{Lang|tet|sira-ne'e}} ('these') or {{Lang|tet|sira-ne'ebá}} ('those') are used:

:{{Lang|tet|labarik sira-ne'e}} – these children, the children
:{{Lang|tet|labarik sira-ne'ebá}} – those children, the children

===== Possessive/genitive =====

The particle {{Lang|tet|nia}} forms the inalienable possessive, and can be used in a similar way to '''s'' in English, e.g.:

:{{Lang|tet|João nia uma}} – 'João's house'
:{{Lang|tet|Cristina nia livru}} – 'Cristina's book'

When the possessor is postposed, representing alienable possession, {{Lang|tet|nia}} becomes {{Lang|tet|nian}}:

:{{Lang|tet|povu Timór Lorosa'e nian}} – the people of East Timor

===== Inclusive and exclusive ''we'' =====

Like other Austronesian languages, Tetum has two forms of ''we'', {{Lang|tet|ami}} (equivalent to Malay {{Lang|ms|kami}}) which is exclusive, e.g. "I and they", and {{Lang|tet|ita}} (equivalent to Malay {{Lang|ms|kita}}), which is [[Clusivity|inclusive]], e.g. "you, I, and they".

:{{Lang|tet|ami-nia karreta}} – 'our [family's] car'
:{{Lang|tet|ita-nia rain}} – 'our country'

===== Nominalization =====

Nouns derived from verbs or adjectives are usually formed with [[affix]]es, for example the [[suffix]] ''-na'in'', similar to "-er" in English.

:{{Lang|tet|hakerek}}  'write' → {{Lang|tet|hakerek-na'in}} 'writer'

The suffix ''-na'in'' can also be used with nouns, in the sense of 'owner'.

:{{Lang|tet|uma}}  'house' → {{Lang|tet|uma-na'in}} 'householder'
In more traditional forms of Tetum,  the [[circumfix]] ''ma(k)- -k'' is used instead of ''-na'in''. For example, the nouns 'sinner' or 'wrongdoer' can be derived from the word {{Lang|tet|sala}} as either {{Lang|tet|maksalak}}, or {{Lang|tet|sala-na'in}}. Only the [[prefix]] ''ma(k)-'' is used when the root word ends with a consonant; for example, the noun 'cook' or 'chef' can be derived from the word {{Lang|tet|te'in}} as {{Lang|tet|makte'in}} as well as {{Lang|tet|te'in-na'in}}.

The suffix ''-teen'' (from the word for 'dirt' or 'excrement') can be used with adjectives to form derogatory terms:

:{{Lang|tet|bosok}} 'false' → {{Lang|tet|bosok-teen}} 'liar'

==== Adjectives ====

===== Derivation from nouns =====

To turn a noun into a nominalised adjective, the word {{Lang|tet|oan}} ('person, child, associated object') is added to it.

:{{Lang|tet|malae}} 'foreigner' → {{Lang|tet|malae-oan}} 'foreign'

Thus, 'Timorese person' is {{Lang|tet|Timor-oan}}, as opposed to the country of Timor, {{Lang|tet|rai-Timor}}.

To form adjectives and actor nouns from verbs, the suffix ''-dór'' (derived from Portuguese) can be added:

:{{Lang|tet|hateten}} 'tell' → {{Lang|tet|hatetendór}} 'talkative'

===== Gender =====

Tetum does not have separate masculine and feminine gender, hence {{Lang|tet|nia}} (similar to {{Lang|ms|ia}}/{{Lang|ms|dia}}/{{Lang|ms|nya}} in Malay) can mean either 'he', 'she' or 'it'.

Different forms for the genders only occur in Portuguese-derived adjectives, hence {{Lang|tet|obrigadu}} ('thank you') is used by men, and {{Lang|tet|obrigada}} by women. The masculine and feminine forms of other adjectives derived from Portuguese are sometimes used with Portuguese loanwords, particularly by Portuguese-educated speakers of Tetum.

:{{Lang|tet|governu demokrátiku}} – 'democratic government' (from {{Lang|pt|governo democrático}}, masculine)
:{{Lang|tet|nasaun demokrátika}} – 'democratic nation' (from {{Lang|pt|nação democrática}}, feminine)

In some instances, the different gender forms have distinct translations into English:

:{{Lang|tet|bonitu}} – 'handsome'
:{{Lang|tet|bonita}} – 'pretty'

In indigenous Tetum words, the suffixes {{Lang|ms|-mane}} ('male') and {{Lang|ms|-feto}} ('female') are sometimes used to differentiate between the genders:

:{{Lang|tet|oan-mane}} 'son' → {{Lang|tet|oan-feto}} 'daughter'

===== Comparatives and superlatives =====

Superlatives can be formed from adjectives by [[reduplication]]:

:{{Lang|tet|barak}} 'much, many' → {{Lang|tet|babarak}} 'very much, many'
:{{Lang|tet|boot}} 'big, great' → {{Lang|tet|boboot}} 'huge, enormous'
:{{Lang|tet|di'ak}} 'good' → {{Lang|tet|didi'ak}} 'very good'
:{{Lang|tet|ikus}} 'last' → {{Lang|tet|ikuikus}} 'the very last, final'
:{{Lang|tet|moos}} 'clean, clear' → {{Lang|tet|momoos}} 'spotless, immaculate'

When making comparisons, the word {{Lang|tet|liu}} ('more') is used after the adjective, optionally followed by {{Lang|tet|duké}} ('than' from Portuguese {{Lang|pt|do que}}):

:{{Lang|tet|Maria tuan liu (duké) Ana}} — Maria is older than Ana.

To describe something as the most or least, the word {{Lang|tet|hotu}} ('all') is added:

:{{Lang|tet|Maria tuan liu hotu}} — Maria is the oldest.

==== Adverbs ====

Adverbs can be formed from adjectives or nouns by reduplication:

:{{Lang|tet|di'ak}} 'good' → {{Lang|tet|didi'ak}} 'well'
:{{Lang|tet|foun}} 'new, recent' → {{Lang|tet|foufoun}} 'newly, recently'
:{{Lang|tet|kalan}} 'night' → {{Lang|tet|kalakalan}} 'nightly'
:{{Lang|tet|lais}} 'quick' → {{Lang|tet|lailais}} 'quickly'
:{{Lang|tet|loron}} 'day' → {{Lang|tet|loroloron}} 'daily'

==== Prepositions and circumpositions ====

The most commonly used [[preposition]]s in Tetum are the verbs {{Lang|tet|iha}} ('have', 'possess', 'specific locative') and {{Lang|tet|baa/ba}} ('go', 'to', 'for'). Most prepostional concepts of English are expressed by nominal phrases formed by using {{Lang|tet|iha}}, the object and the position (expressed by a noun),optionally with the possessive {{Lang|tet|nia}}.

:{{Lang|tet|iha uma (nia) '''laran'''}} — ' ''inside'' the house'
:{{Lang|tet|iha foho (nia) '''tutun'''}} — ' ''on top of'' the mountain'
:{{Lang|tet|iha meza '''leten'''}} — ' ''on'' the table'
:{{Lang|tet|iha kadeira '''okos'''}} — ' ''under'' the chair'
:{{Lang|tet|iha rai '''li'ur'''}} — ' ''outside'' the country'
:{{Lang|tet|iha ema (nia) '''leet'''}} — ' ''between'' the people'

==== Verbs ====

===== Copula and negation =====

There is no [[Copula (linguistics)|verb ''to be'']] as such, but the word {{Lang|tet|la'ós}}, which translates as 'not to be', is used for negation:

:{{Lang|tet|Timor-oan sira la'ós Indonézia-oan.}} — 'The Timorese are not Indonesians.'

The word {{Lang|tet|maka}}, which roughly translates as 'who is' or 'what is', can be used with fronted phrases for focusing/ emphasis:

:{{Lang|tet|João maka gosta serveja.}} — 'It's John who likes beer.'

===== Interrogation =====

The [[Grammatical polarity|interrogative]] is formed by using the words {{Lang|tet|ka}} ('or') or {{Lang|tet|ka lae}} ('or not').

:{{Lang|tet|O bulak ka?}} — 'Are you crazy?'
:{{Lang|tet|O gosta ha'u ka lae?}} — 'Do you like me?'

===== Derivation from nouns and adjectives =====

[[Transitive verb]]s are formed by adding the prefix ''ha-'' or ''hak-'' to a noun or adjective:

:{{Lang|tet|been}} 'liquid' → {{Lang|tet|habeen}} 'to liquify, to melt'
:{{Lang|tet|bulak}} 'mad' → {{Lang|tet|habulak}} 'to drive mad'
:{{Lang|tet|klibur}} 'union' → {{Lang|tet|haklibur}} 'to unite'
:{{Lang|tet|mahon}} 'shade' → {{Lang|tet|hamahon}} 'to shade, to cover'
:{{Lang|tet|manas}} 'hot' → {{Lang|tet|hamanas}} 'to heat up'

[[Intransitive verb]]s are formed by adding the prefix ''na-'' or ''nak-'' to a noun or adjective:

:{{Lang|tet|nabeen}} — '(to be) liquified, melted'
:{{Lang|tet|nabulak}} — '(to be) driven mad'
:{{Lang|tet|naklibur}} — '(to be) united'
:{{Lang|tet|namahon}} — '(to be) shaded, covered'
:{{Lang|tet|namanas}} — '(to become) heated up'

===== Conjugations and [[inflection]]s (in Tetun-Terik) =====

In {{Lang|tet|Tetun-Terik}}, verbs inflect when they begin with a vowel or consonant h. In this case [[consonant mutation|mutation]] of the first consonant occurs. For example, the verb {{Lang|tet|haree}} ('see') in {{Lang|tet|Tetun-Terik}} would be [[Grammatical conjugation|conjugated]] as follows:

:{{Lang|tet|ha'u '''k'''aree}} —  'I see'
:{{Lang|tet|ó  '''m'''aree}} — 'you (sing.) see'
:{{Lang|tet|nia '''n'''aree}} — 'he/she/it sees'
:{{Lang|tet|ami '''h'''aree}} — 'we see'
:{{Lang|tet|imi '''h'''aree}} — 'you (pl.) see'
:{{Lang|tet|sira '''r'''aree}} — 'they see'

=== Tenses  ===

==== Past  ====

Whenever possible, the past tense is simply inferred from the context, for example:

:{{Lang|tet|Horisehik ha'u han etu}} – 'Yesterday I ate rice.'

However, it can be expressed by placing the adverb {{Lang|tet|ona}} ('already') at the end of a sentence.

:{{Lang|tet|Ha'u han etu ona}} – 'I've (already) eaten rice.'

When {{Lang|tet|ona}} is used with {{Lang|tet|la}} ('not') this means 'no more' or 'no longer', rather than 'have not':

:{{Lang|tet|Ha'u la han etu ona}} – 'I don't eat rice anymore.'

In order to convey that an action has not occurred, the word {{Lang|tet|seidauk}} ('not yet') is used:

:{{Lang|tet|Ha'u seidauk han etu}} – 'I haven't eaten rice (yet).'

When relating an action that occurred in the past, the word {{Lang|tet|tiha}} ('finally' or 'well and truly') is used with the verb.

:{{Lang|tet|Ha'u han tiha etu}} – 'I ate rice.'

==== Future ====

The [[future tense]] is formed by placing the word {{Lang|tet|sei}} ('will') before a verb:

:{{Lang|tet|'''Ha'u''' sei '''fó hahán ba sira'''}} – 'I ''will'' give them food.'

The negative is formed by adding {{Lang|tet|la}} ('not') between {{Lang|tet|sei}} and the verb:

:{{Lang|tet|'''Ha'u''' sei la '''fó hahán ba sira'''}} – 'I ''will not'' give them food.'

=== Aspects ===

==== Perfect ====

The perfect [[Grammatical aspect|aspect]] can be formed by using {{Lang|tet|tiha ona}}.

:{{Lang|tet|Ha'u han etu tiha ona}} – 'I have eaten rice / I ate rice.'

When negated, {{Lang|tet|tiha ona}} indicates that an action ceased to occur:

:{{Lang|tet|Ha'u la han etu tiha ona}} – 'I didn't eat rice anymore.'

In order to convey that a past action had not or never occurred, the word {{Lang|tet|ladauk}} ('not yet' or 'never') is used:

:{{Lang|tet|Ha'u ladauk han etu}} – 'I didn't eat rice / I hadn't eaten rice.'

==== Progressive ====

The [[Continuous and progressive aspects|progressive aspect]] can be obtained by placing the word {{Lang|tet|hela}} ('stay') after a verb:

:{{Lang|tet|Sira serbisu hela.}} – 'They're (still) working.'

=== Imperative ===

The [[imperative mood]] is formed using the word {{Lang|tet|ba}} ('go') at the end of a sentence, hence:

:{{Lang|tet|Lee surat ba!}} – 'Read the letter!'

The word {{Lang|tet|lai}} ('just' or 'a bit') may also be used when making a request rather than a command:

:{{Lang|tet|Lee surat lai}} – 'Just read the letter.'

When forbidding an action {{Lang|tet|labele}} ('cannot') or {{Lang|tet|keta}} ('do not') are used:

:{{Lang|tet|Labele fuma iha ne'e!}} – 'Don't smoke here!'
:{{Lang|tet|Keta oho sira!}} – 'Don't kill them!'

==Orthography and phonology==
{{See also|Tetum alphabet}}
The influence of Portuguese and to a lesser extent Malay/Indonesian on the phonology of Tetun has been extensive.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Tetum Vowels
|-
! !! '''[[Front vowel|Front]]''' !! '''[[Central vowel|Central]]''' !! '''[[Back vowel|Back]]'''
|-
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
| align=center| {{IPA link|i}}  ||  || align=center| {{IPA link|u}}
|-
! [[Mid vowel|Mid]]
| align=center| {{IPA link|e}} ||  || align=center| {{IPA link|o}}
|-
! [[Open vowel|Open]]
|  || align=center| {{IPA link|ä}} ||  
|}

In the Tetum language, {{IPA|/a/}}, {{IPA|/i/}} and {{IPA|/u/}} tend to have relatively fixed sounds. However {{IPA|/e/}} and {{IPA|/o/}} vary according to the environment they are placed in, for instance the sound is slightly higher if the proceeding syllable is {{IPA|/u/}} or {{IPA|/i/}}.<ref>Hull, Geoffrey. (1999). Tetum, Language Manual for East Timor. Academy of East Timor Studies, Faculty of Education & Languages, University of Western Sydney Macathur.</ref>
 
{|class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
|-style="font-size: 90%;"
|+Tetum consonants
!
!colspan=2| [[Labial consonant|Labial]]
!colspan=2| [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
!colspan=2| [[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
!colspan=2| [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
!colspan=2| [[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! <small>[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]</small>
|colspan="2"|{{IPA link|m}}
|colspan="2"|{{IPA link|n}}
|colspan="2"|({{IPA link|ɲ}}{{IPA|&nbsp;~&nbsp;i̯n}})
|colspan="2"|({{IPA link|ŋ}})
|colspan=2|
|-
! <small>[[Stop consonant|Stop]]</small>
|style="border-right: 0;"|({{IPA link|p}})||style="border-left: 0;"|{{IPA link|b}}
|style="border-right: 0;"|{{IPA link|t}}||style="border-left: 0;"|{{IPA link|d}}
|colspan=2|
|width=20px style="border-right: 0;"|{{IPA link|k}}||width=20px style="border-left: 0;"|({{IPA link|ɡ}})
|colspan=2| {{IPA link|ʔ}}
|-
! <small>[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]</small>
|style="border-right: 0;"|{{IPA link|f}}||style="border-left: 0;"|({{IPA link|v}})
|style="border-right: 0;"|{{IPA link|s}}||style="border-left: 0;"|({{IPA link|z}})
|width=20px style="border-right: 0;"|({{IPA link|ʃ}})||width=20px style="border-left: 0;"|({{IPA link|ʒ}})
|colspan=2|
|colspan="2"|{{IPA link|h}}
|-
! <small>[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]</small>
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|colspan="2"|{{IPA link|j}}
|colspan="2"|{{IPA link|w}}
|colspan=2|
|-
! <small>[[Lateral consonant#Approximants|Lateral]]</small>
|colspan=2|
|colspan="2"|{{IPA link|l}}
|colspan="2"|({{IPA link|ʎ}}{{IPA|&nbsp;~&nbsp;i̯l}})
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|-
! <small>[[Flap consonant|Flap]]</small>
|colspan=2|
|colspan="2"|{{IPA link|ɾ}}
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|-
! <small>[[Trill consonant|Trill]]</small>
|colspan=2|
|colspan="2"|({{IPA link|r}})
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|colspan=2|
|}

All consonants appearing in parentheses are used only in loanwords.

Stops: All stops in Tetum are un-aspirated, meaning an expulsion of breath is absent. In contrast, English stops, namely 'p' 't' and 'k' are generally aspirated. 
 
Fricatives: 
{{IPA|/v/}} is an unstable voiced labio-dental fricative and tends to alternate with or is replaced by {{IPA|/b/}}; e.g. {{IPA|[aˈvoː]}} – {{IPA|[aˈboː]}} meaning 'grandparent.'<ref name="Williams-van Klinken 2002" />

As Tetum did not have any official recognition or support under either Portuguese or Indonesian rule, it is only recently that a standardised orthography has been established by the {{ill|National Institute of Linguistics|tet|Institutu Nasionál Linguístika|pt|Instituto Nacional de Linguística}} (INL). The standard orthography devised by the institute was declared official by Government Decree 1/2004 of 14 April 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mj.gov.tl/jornal/public/docs/2002_2005/decreto_governo/1_2004.pdf |title=Governo Decreto no. 1/2004 de 14 de Abril "O Padrão Ortográfico da Língua Tétum"}}</ref> However, there are still widespread variations in spelling, one example being the word {{Lang|tet|bainhira}} or 'when', which has also been written as {{Lang|tet|bain-hira}}, {{Lang|tet|wainhira}}, {{Lang|tet|waihira}}, {{Lang|tet|uaihira}}. The use of {{grapheme|w}}  or {{grapheme|u}} is a reflection of the pronunciation in some rural dialects of ''Tetun-Terik''.

The current orthography originates from the spelling reforms undertaken by [[Fretilin]] in 1974, when it launched literacy campaigns across East Timor, and also from the system used by the Catholic Church when it adopted Tetum as its liturgical language during the Indonesian occupation. These involved the [[transcription (linguistics)|transcription]] of many Portuguese words that were formerly written in their original spelling, for example, {{Lang|pt|educação}} → {{Lang|tet|edukasaun}} 'education', and {{Lang|pt|colonialismo}} → {{Lang|tet|kolonializmu}} 'colonialism'.

Reforms suggested by the International Committee for the Development of East Timorese Languages (IACDETL) in 1996 included the replacement of the [[digraph (orthography)|digraphs]] [[nh (digraph)|{{grapheme|nh}}]] and [[lh (digraph)|{{grapheme|lh}}]] (borrowed from Portuguese, where they stand for the phonemes {{IPA|/ɲ/}} and {{IPA|/ʎ/}}) with {{grapheme|n̄}} and {{grapheme|l̄}} , respectively (as in certain [[Basque language|Basque]] orthographies), to avoid confusion with the [[consonant cluster]]s {{IPA|/nh/}} and {{IPA|/lh/}}, which also occur in Tetum. Thus, {{Lang|tet|senhor}} 'sir' became {{Lang|tet|sen̄ór}}, and {{Lang|tet|trabalhador}} 'worker' became {{Lang|tet|trabal̄adór}}. Later, as adopted by IACDETL and approved by the INL in 2002, {{grapheme|n̄}} and {{grapheme|l̄}} were replaced by [[{{grapheme|ñ}}]] and [[{{grapheme|ll}}]] (as in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]). Thus, {{Lang|tet|sen̄ór}} 'sir' became {{Lang|tet|señór}}, and {{Lang|tet|trabal̄adór}} 'worker' became {{Lang|tet|traballadór}}. Some linguists favoured using [[ny (digraph)|{{grapheme|ny}}]] (as in [[Catalan language|Catalan]] and [[Filipino language|Filipino]]) and [[ly (digraph)|{{grapheme|ly}}]] for these sounds, but the latter spellings were rejected for being similar to the Indonesian system, and most speakers actually pronounce ''ñ'' and ''ll'' as {{IPA|[i̯n]}}  and {{IPA|[i̯l]}}, respectively, with a [[semivowel]] {{IPA|[i̯]}} which forms a [[diphthong]] with the preceding vowel (but reduced to {{IPA|[n]}}, {{IPA|[l]}} after {{IPA|/i/}}), not as the [[palatal consonant]]s of Portuguese and Spanish. Thus, {{Lang|tet|señór}}, {{Lang|tet|traballadór}} are pronounced {{IPA|[sei̯ˈnoɾ]}}, {{IPA|[tɾabai̯laˈdoɾ]}}, and {{Lang|tet|liña}}, {{Lang|tet|kartilla}} are pronounced {{IPA|[ˈlina]}}, {{IPA|[kaɾˈtila]}}. As a result, some writers use {{grapheme|in}} and {{grapheme|il}} instead, for example {{Lang|tet|Juinu}} and {{Lang|tet|Juilu}} for June and July ({{Lang|pt|Junho}} and {{Lang|pt|Julho}} in Portuguese).

As well as variations in the transliteration of Portuguese loanwords, there are also variations in the spelling of indigenous words. These include the use of double vowels and the [[apostrophe]] for the [[glottal stop]], for example {{Lang|tet|boot}} → {{Lang|tet|bot}} 'large' and {{Lang|tet|ki'ik}} →  {{Lang|tet|kiik}} 'small'.

The sound {{IPA|[z]}}, which is not indigenous to Tetum but appears in many loanwords from Portuguese and Malay, often changed to {{IPA|[s]}} in old Tetum and to {{IPA|[ʒ]}} (written {{grapheme|j}}) in the speech of young speakers: for example, {{Lang|tet|meja}} 'table' from Portuguese {{Lang|pt|mesa}}, and {{Lang|tet|kamija}} 'shirt' from Portuguese {{Lang|pt|camisa}}.  In the sociolect of Tetum that is still used by the generation educated during the Indonesian occupation, {{IPA|[z]}} and {{IPA|[ʒ]}} may occur in [[free variation]]. For instance, the Portuguese-derived word {{Lang|tet|ezemplu}} 'example' is pronounced {{IPA|[eˈʒemplu]}} by some speakers, and conversely {{Lang|tet|Janeiru}} 'January' is pronounced {{IPA|[zanˈeiru]}}. The sound {{IPA|[v]}}, also not native to the language, often shifted to {{IPA|[b]}}, as in {{Lang|tet|serbisu}} 'work' from Portuguese {{Lang|pt|serviço}} (also note that a modern INL convention promotes the use of {{Lang|tet|serbisu}} for 'work' and {{Lang|tet|servisu}} for 'service').

==See also==
{{Portal|Asia|Indonesia|Languages}}
{{InterWiki|code=tet}}
*[[Languages of East Timor]]
*[[oldwikisource:Ami Aman|The Lord's Prayer in Tetum]] at [[Wikisource]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080119191225/http://www.asianlang.mq.edu.au/INL/ National Institute of Linguistics, National University of East Timor (Archived)] includes several bilingual Tetum dictionaries, and articles about Tetum
*Hull, Geoffrey, ''Standard Tetum-English Dictionary'' 2nd Ed, Allen & Unwin Publishers {{ISBN|978-1-86508-599-9}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081029092640/http://www.timor-leste.gov.tl/AboutTimorleste/rellang.htm Official Web Gateway to the Government of Timor-Leste – Religion & Language]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927042437/http://www.asianlang.mq.edu.au/INL/orthhist.pdf The standard orthography of the Tetum language] (PDF)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070829032238/http://www.asianlang.mq.edu.au/INL/matadalan.pdf Matadalan Ortografiku ba Lia-Tetun] - Tetum Spelling Guide
*[http://tetum.dleiris.com Damien LEIRIS - Personal approach of the Tetum language] (PDF)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060828032902/http://www.uc.pt/timor/language.htm Colonization, Decolonization and Integration: Language Policies in East Timor, Indonesia, by Nancy Melissa Lutz]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080119191225/http://www.asianlang.mq.edu.au/INL/speech1.html Current Language Issues in East Timor (Dr. Geoffrey Hull)]
*{{Cite book |url=http://sealang.net/archives/pl/pdf/PL-C155.pdf |title=A grammar of the Fehan dialect of Tetun, an Austronesian language of West Timor |last=Van Klinken |first=Catharina |date=1999 |publisher=Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University |isbn=0858835142 |location=Canberra |doi=10.15144/PL-C155}}
*{{Cite journal |last=Hull |first=Geoffrey |date=1998 |title=The Languages of Timor 1772-1997: A Literature Review |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316241260 |journal=Estudos de Linguas e Culturas de Timor Leste (Studies in Languages and Cultures of East Timor) |volume=1 |pages=1–38}}
*{{Cite thesis |last=Ross |first=Melody A. |title=Attitudes toward Tetun Dili, A Language of East Timor. |date=2017 |degree=phd |publisher=University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa |url=https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/62504/1/2017-12-phd-ross.pdf |hdl=10125/62504 |hdl-access=free }}

==External links==
{{Wikibooks|Tetum}}
*Peace Corps East Timor Tetun Language Manual ([https://www.livelingua.com/peace-corps/Tetun/Peace%20Corps%20Tetun.pdf 2011, 2nd edition]; [http://www.tetundit.tl/Publications/PC%20Tetun%20-%20Ed%203.pdf 2015, 3rd edition])
*[http://www.tetundit.tl/courses.html Intensive Tetun language courses at Dili Institute of Technology]
*[[commons:Category:Mai ita aprende portugés ho Emília|Pictures from a Portuguese language course]], using Tetum, published in the East Timorese newspaper [[:pt:Lia Foun|Lia Foun]] in Díli (from [[Wikimedia Commons]])
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040420081929/http://vcsymposium.massey.ac.nz/presenters/presentations/Newman/www/Tetun/home.html Tetun] website with sound files
*[http://www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/ling/stories/s476770.htm Teach yourself Tetum...] an interview with some information on the history of Tetum
*[http://www.tetundit.tl/index.html Wordfinder (Tetun/English minidictionary)] and other publications available from Dili 
*[http://tetum.dleiris.com Damien LEIRIS - Personal approach of the Tetum language] (PDF)
*[http://timor.leste.tetum.free.fr/index_uk.php Tetun dictionary]
*[http://babelang.free.fr/community/dictionary.php?word=house&lang_from=English&lang_into=Tetun Tetum illustrated dictionary]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130419232613/http://dit.tl/ Dili Institute of Technology] Institute of Technology website
*[https://www.gnu.org/software/tetum/contributors/cliffMorris-xhtml/index.html A Traveller's Dictionary in Tetun-English and English-Tetun] includes some information on grammar, based on the ''Tetun-Terik'' dialect
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20011206060726/http://laurel.ocs.mq.edu.au/~leccles/easttimor.html Sebastião Aparício da Silva Project for the Protection and Promotion of East Timorese Languages]
*[http://www.suara-timor-lorosae.com/ ''Suara Timor Lorosae'' Daily newspaper in Tetum and Indonesian]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070224124631/http://www.semanario.tp/nacional%20tetum.htm ''Jornal Nacional Semanário'' Tetum page]
*[http://www.1000dictionaries.com/tetum_dictionaries_1.html Tetum dictionaries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201023117/http://www.1000dictionaries.com/tetum_dictionaries_1.html |date=2008-02-01 }}
*[http://www.tetundit.tl/index.html Tetun 1, Tetun 2] Tetun writing courses for East Timorese university students, by Catharina Williams-van Klinken, Dili Institute of Technology
*[http://visiteasttimor.com/good-to-know/talk-tetum-in-timor/ Talk Tetum in Timor] VisitEastTimor.com Travel Guide help you to talk in East Timor
*[[Robert Blust]]'s [[hdl:10125/33165|field notes on Tetun]] are archived with [[Kaipuleohone]]
* {{cite journal |last1=Kroon |first1=Sjaak |last2=Kurvers |first2=Jeanne |title=Language use, language attitudes and identity in the East Timorese diaspora in the Netherlands |journal=Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development |date=2020 |volume=41 |issue=5 |pages=444–456 |doi=10.1080/01434632.2019.1657872 |s2cid=203062214 |doi-access=free }}

{{Central Malayo-Polynesian languages}}
{{Languages of East Timor}}
{{Languages of Indonesia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Tetum language| ]]
[[Category:Languages of Timor-Leste]]
[[Category:Languages of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Timor–Babar languages]]
[[Category:Subject–verb–object languages]]