Learn to speak Tetun

Learn Tetun language and Timorese culture in-country through intensive courses at DIT. Our four full-time staff offer courses all year round, teaching all levels from absolute beginners to advanced. Join us for one week or more, as your schedule permits. For more information, click here.

Tetun writing courses

All Dili Institute of Technology students study Tetun writing skills for two semesters. We can also provide writing skills courses for other institutions, as well as training in the use of our "Tetun 1" and "Tetun 2" textbooks for teaching at tertiary level.

For futher information, contact us.

Wordfinder (2008)

This pocket-sized mini-dictionary by Catharina Williams-van Klinken is designed for beginner and intermediate learners of Tetun and English. With some 4500 Tetun headwords, and 4900 English ones, it focuses on generally known vocabulary on everyday topics.

It is available for about US$5 from Duta Xerox or Sylvia Xerox in Dili, or can be downloaded here. Alternatively, for orders of at least 30, contact us directly for a bulk discount price of $3/copy.

Download: Cover (full-size 1476KB/ small file 22KB), Book minus cover (764 KB)

Tetun 1, Tetun 2 (2008)

These two books  by Catharina Williams-van Klinken provide the course material for teaching two semesters of Tetun to Timorese university students.

Tetun 1 covers topics such as the history of Tetun, basic spelling principles, ...

Tetun 2 includes writing descriptions and argumentation, paragraphing, and basic translation principles. Both are available from Sylvia Xerox for under $5, or can be downloaded here.

 

Download Tetun 1 (1063 KB)

Download Tetun 2 (789 KB)

Peace Corps East Timor Tetun Language Course (2003)

This comprehensive Tetun course written by Catharina Williams-van Klinken for English-speaking foreigners covers a wide range of everyday needs, as well as an introduction to more specialised areas such as administration, sport and agriculture. It is available in book form for about US$20 from various shops in Dili, East Timor (including Duta Xerox and Sylvia in Vila Verde), or can be downloaded here.

Download:Click here to download the book as either a few large files or a larger number of smaller files.

Tetun for the Justice Sector (part 1)

This book, produced cooperatively by the Timor-Leste Police Development Program and Dili Institute of Technology, is designed to teach Tetun at intermediate level with special emphasis on policing and justice. It includes chapters on the structure of the government and the national police service PNTL, violence, arrest and detention, traffic, resolving problems within the extended family, interviewing, and search and seizure. The book was written by Catharina Williams-van Klinken together with Alexandre Fernandes Cham, Anabela Maia Santos, Hendriana da Costa Marçal, and Jacinta Canossa Soares

 

Download: Full book (2976KB)