Tetum Typing Speed Test
Free Online Tetum Keyboard – Type Tetun, the Language of Timor-Leste
Welcome to the Tetum keyboard online (Tetun)! Our free virtual keyboard provides the nasal vowels, accented vowels, and the apostrophe that written Tetum needs — characters an ordinary English keyboard makes awkward to reach. It runs in your browser on any computer, tablet, or phone, with nothing to install.
Why Tetum needs its own keyboard. Tetum is one of the two official languages of Timor-Leste alongside Portuguese, and it is the everyday lingua franca that ties the country's many language communities together. Its writing system is Latin, which makes it look like it should type easily — but it depends on ã, ẽ, ĩ, õ, ũ for nasal vowels and on acute accents for stress, and it uses the apostrophe for the glottal stop. Those are exactly the characters that a standard US or Indonesian keyboard buries behind alt codes, which is why so much written Tetum online drops them.
Tetun Dili and Tetun Terik. The language has two broad forms. Tetun Terik is the older, more conservative variety spoken in traditional communities. Tetun Dili — sometimes called Tetun Prasa — grew up in the capital and absorbed a very large Portuguese vocabulary along the way; it is the form used in media, government, and daily urban life, and the one most learners encounter. Standard written Tetum, codified after independence in 2002, is based on it.
A language shaped by its history. Four centuries of Portuguese presence left Tetum with a deep Portuguese lexicon, and the Indonesian occupation from 1975 to 1999 layered Indonesian vocabulary on top of it. The result is a language whose orthography has been formally standardised only recently, and whose speakers frequently write it on devices set up for Portuguese, Indonesian, or English.
Perfect for: writing in Timor-Leste's own language rather than a colonial one, school and university work, government and NGO documents, journalism and radio scripts, church and community materials, and correspondence within the Timorese diaspora in Australia, Portugal, and Indonesia.
Related keyboards: Tetum's vocabulary overlaps heavily with Portuguese, the country's other official language, and with Indonesian. Switch with the Layout dropdown above.
Your privacy is guaranteed – all typing happens 100% locally in your browser. Nothing you write is sent to a server, stored, or logged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tetum?
Tetum (Tetun) is one of the two official languages of Timor-Leste, alongside Portuguese, and the everyday lingua franca connecting the country's many language communities. It is written in the Latin alphabet with nasal vowels and accents.
What is the difference between Tetun Dili and Tetun Terik?
Tetun Terik is the older, more conservative variety spoken in traditional communities. Tetun Dili grew up in the capital, absorbed a large Portuguese vocabulary, and is the form used in media, government, and urban daily life. Standard written Tetum is based on Tetun Dili.
How do I type the nasal vowels ã, ẽ, ĩ, õ, ũ?
They are on the on-screen keyboard directly — click or tap them. No alt codes, and no need to change your system layout. They are essential to correct Tetum spelling rather than optional decoration.
What is the apostrophe used for?
It marks the glottal stop, a distinct sound in Tetum. Using a proper apostrophe rather than an omitted or substituted character keeps words spelled correctly and searchable.
Why does Tetum have so many Portuguese words?
Four centuries of Portuguese presence, followed by Portuguese being adopted as a co-official language after independence in 2002. Tetun Dili in particular absorbed a very large Portuguese vocabulary, and the Indonesian occupation from 1975 to 1999 added an Indonesian layer on top.
Is this Tetum keyboard free?
Yes, completely free. There is no cost, no registration, no account, and no limit on how much you type. The site is supported by advertising, which is what keeps the keyboard free to use for everyone.
Does it work on mobile phones and tablets?
Yes. The layout is fully responsive and works on Android and iOS phones, tablets, Chromebooks, Windows, and macOS. On a touchscreen you tap the characters directly, which makes it a practical way to type Tetum on a device with no Tetum keyboard installed.
Is my typing private?
Completely private. All processing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never transmitted to a server, never stored, and never logged, so it is safe for personal and sensitive writing.
Where is Tetum spoken?
Throughout Timor-Leste as the national lingua franca, and in neighbouring West Timor in Indonesia. Diaspora communities in Australia, Portugal, and Indonesia also use it.
Keep Practicing
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