Readers in East Timorese languages
These resources aim to provide East Timorese children with the tools to read and write in their own mother tongue, as well as in the official languages Portuguese and Tetun.
Readers in East Timorese languages
Readers in East Timorese languages
As part of a major early literacy initiative for children in East Timor, RUMACCC is proud to launch early readers – available in some of the different languages spoken in East Timor. The little books are free and easily downloadable from the links on this page!
This initiative is supported by C-CRAG funding provided by The University of Melbourne.
Most readers are based on the work of Sue Worcester, primary school literacy teacher, as well as artist and writer – who designed a series of literacy focussed readers – to help East Timorese children. Many of the readers have subsequently also been translated into non-Timorese languages.
Readers in Baikenu
Baikenu is the native language of the Oe-Cusse enclave. There are a number of regional dialects, among them Baikenu Passabe and Baikenu Pantemakassar. Passabe is located in the mountainous interior; Pantemakassar, located on the coast, is the enclave’s main urban centre.
Readers are available in Baikenu Pantemakassar and Baikenu Passabe, and as trilingual editions (Baikenu Pantemakassar, Tetun and Portuguese).
Baikenu Pantemakassar
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| Come and see (Eim mail) | b and w (1.05Mb pdf) | colour (2.09Mb pdf) |
| Fruit and vegetables (Hau-fua’ nok utan) | b and w (1.07Mb pdf) | colour (1.61Mb pdf) |
| How many animals? (Mu’itini faukan?) | b and w (730kb pdf) | colour (720kb pdf) |
| I can (Au nabei’) | b and w (940kb pdf) | colour (1.21Mb pdf) |
| I like animals (Au ’loim mu’it) | b and w (950kb pdf) | colour (2.12Mb pdf) |
| Jobs (Mepu) | b and w (1.16Mb pdf) | colour (1.67Mb pdf) |
| On the move (Hai mnao) | b and w (1.15Mb pdf) | colour (1.65Mb pdf) |
| Starfish (Fku-tasi nmoe sa’an?) | colour (580kb pdf) | |
| This is a house (I ume) | b and w (1.12Mb pdf) | colour (2.3Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Hai mnao on me?) | b and w (1.28Mb pdf) | colour (1.86Mb pdf) |
Baikenu Passabe
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| Come and see (Em mail) | b and w (1.05Mb pdf) | colour (2.08Mb pdf) |
| Fruit and vegetables (Hau-fua’ nok utan) | b and w (1.07Mb pdf) | colour (1.61Mb pdf) |
| I can (‘au nabe’) | b and w (940kb pdf) | colour (1.21Mb pdf) |
| I like animals (Au ‘loim mu’it) | b and w (950kb pdf) | colour (2.12Mb pdf) |
| Jobs (Mepo) | b and w (1.16Mb pdf) | colour (1.67Mb pdf) |
| Look at me (Mail on kau’) | b and w (1.06Mb pdf) | colour (2.20Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Hai mnao on me?) | b and w (1.28Mb pdf) | colour (1.86Mb pdf) |
Baikenu trilingual (Baikenu Pantemakassar, Tetun, Portuguese)
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| I like aminals (Au ‘loim mu’it) | b and w (950kb pdf) | colour (2.12Mb pdf) |
| This is a house (I ume) | b and w (1.12Mb pdf) | colour (2.30Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Hai mnao on me?) | b and w (1.29Mb pdf) | colour (1.86Mb pdf) |
Readers in Fataluku
Fataluku is spoken in the Lautem region on the eastern tip of the island of Timor. It is a non-Austronesian (Papuan) language related to Makasae, Makaleno and Bunaq. Lospalos is the main urban centre in Lautem.
Our readers are available in Fataluku Pairara and in a trilingual edition (Fataluku Pairara, Tetun and Portuguese). Readers in Fataluku Lospalos are in preparation.
Fataluku Pairara
Level 1 readers
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| I can (Ana uhulehen) | b and w (940kb pdf) | colour (1.3Mb pdf) |
| I like animals (A nica animal tutu) | b and w (940kb pdf) | colour (2.2Mb pdf) |
| Look at me (A toto) | b and w (1.06Mb pdf) | colour (2.2Mb pdf) |
| This is a house (En lee) | b and w (1.1Mb pdf) | colour (2.3Mb pdf) |
| Very big! (Tali lafai!) | b and w (830kb pdf) | colour (1.27Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Afa la’a te mara?) | b and w (1.28Mb pdf) | colour (1.86Mb pdf) |
Level 2 readers
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| At the market (Pasa na’e) | b and w (1.02Mb pdf) | colour (1.78Mb pdf) |
| Crossing the road (Jiampata rekispe) | b and w (1.37Mb pdf) | colour (1.85Mb pdf) |
| Gecko is hungry (Lee kokoc muhare) | b and w (960kb pdf) | colour (1.48Mb pdf) |
| Homes (Animal i lee) | b and w (1.12Mb pdf) | colour (2.19Mb pdf) |
| Like this (E va’ane) | b and w (980kb pdf) | colour (1.3Mb pdf) |
Advanced reader
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Little (Aca Moko La’a-La’a) | b and w (2.24Mb pdf) | colour (2.35Mb pdf) |
Fataluku trilingual (Fataluku Pairara, Tetun, Portuguese)
Level 1 readers
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| I like animals (A nica animal tutu) | b and w (950kb pdf) | colour (2.12Mb pdf) |
| This is a house (En lee) | b and w (1.12Mb pdf) | colour (2.30Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Afa la’a te mara?) | b and w (1.29Mb pdf) | colour (1.86Mb pdf) |
Readers in Galolen
Galolen is spoken around Manatuto on the northern coast of East Timor in an area between Dili and Baucau. It is an Austronesian language closely related to languages spoken on Wetar Island to the north.
Apart from monolingual versions in Galolen, some readers are also available in a trilingual edition (Galolen, Tetun, Portuguese).
Galolen
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| After school (Iskola soruk) | b and w (1.16Mb pdf) | colour (1.90Mb pdf) |
| Come and see (Mai roga) | b and w (1.05Mb pdf) | colour (2.09Mb pdf) |
| Dog (Asu) | b and w (880kb pdf) | colour (1.66Mb pdf) |
| Fruit and vegetables (Ai-huan no iroon hui) | b and w (1.07Mb pdf) | colour (1.61Mb pdf) |
| How many animals? (Animál ihila?) | b and w (730kb pdf) | colour (720kb pdf) |
| I can (Ga’u baluri) | b and w (940kb pdf) | colour (1.21Mb pdf) |
| I like animals (Ga’u gostak animál) | b and w (950kb pdf) | colour (2.12Mb pdf) |
| Look at me (Roga mai ga’u) | b and w (1.06Mb pdf) | colour (2.2Mb pdf) |
| Starfish (Sarmentin nuna la?) | colour (580kb pdf) | |
| This is a house (Le’i uma) | b and w (1.12Mb pdf) | colour (2.3Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Gami la’a main?) | b and w (1.28Mb pdf) | colour (1.87Mb pdf) |
Galolen
Advanced reader
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken little | b and w (3.60Mb pdf) | colour (1.03Mb pdf) |
| Footsteps (La be nuna er-hatin sia ne’e?) | colour (1.44Mb pdf) | |
| I (Ga’u) | colour (3.50Mb pdf) |
Galolen trilingual (Galolen, Tetun, Portuguese)
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| I like animals (Ga’u gostak animal) | b and w (950kb pdf) | colour (2.12Mb pdf) |
| This is a house (Le’i uma) | b and w (1.12Mb pdf) | colour (2.30Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Gami la’a main?) | b and w (1.29Mb pdf) | colour (2.23Mb pdf) |
Readers in Portuguese
Portuguese is the co-official language with Tetun in East Timor. It is widely used in schools and administration.
Portuguese
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| After school (Depois da escola) | b and w (945kb pdf) | colour (1.58Mb pdf) |
| All kinds of tails (Caudas de animais) | b and w (705kb pdf) | colour (1.06Mb pdf) |
| Come and see (Vem ver) | b and w (845kb pdf) | colour (1.63Mb pdf) |
| Dog (O cão) | b and w (875kb pdf) | colour (1.65Mb pdf) |
| Fruit and vegetables (Fruta e vegetais) | b and w (800kb pdf) | colour (1.16Mb pdf) |
| I can (Eu sou capaz) | b and w (700kb pdf) | colour (975kb pdf) |
| I like animals (Eu gosto de animais) | b and w (705kb pdf) | colour (1.28Mb pdf) |
| Jobs (Profissões) | b and w (935kb pdf) | colour (1.31Mb pdf) |
| Look at me (Olha para mim) | b and w (850kb pdf) | colour (1.30Mb pdf) |
| On the move (Vamos) | b and w (940kb pdf) | colour (1.35Mb pdf) |
| This is a house (Isto é uma casa) | b and w (890kb pdf) | colour (1.95Mb pdf) |
| Very big! (Muito grande!) | b and w (625kb pdf) | colour (770kb pdf) |
| What is hiding? (O que é que está escondido?) | b and w (1.00Mb pdf) | colour (1.26Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Aonde vamos?) | b and w (1.11Mb pdf) | colour (1.69Mb pdf) |
Advanced reader
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Little (O Pintainho vai passear) | b and w (2.07Mb pdf) | colour (2.25Mb pdf |
Readers in Tetun
Tetun is the co-official language (with Portuguese) in East Timor. The variety spoken in the capital Dili (Tetun Dili) is East Timor’s main lingua franca and is widely used in the media, schools and everyday life. Tetun Dili is used in our readers.
Tetun
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| I like animals (Ha’u gosta animal) | b and w (940kb pdf) | colour (2.12Mb pdf) |
| This is a house (Ida ne’e uma) | b and w (1.11Mb pdf) | colour (2.29Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Ami bá ne’ebé?) | b and w (1.28Mb pdf) | colour (1.86Mb pdf) |
Advanced reader
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Little (Manu Kai La’o Pasiar) | b and w (2.06Mb pdf) | colour (2.24Mb pdf) |
Readers in Waima’a
Waima’a is an Austronesian language which forms a dialect chain with Kairui and Midiki, It is also closely related to Naueti. Waima’a is spoken on the northern coast of East Timor to the west of Baucau.
Some readers are also available in a trilingual edition (Waima’a, Tetun, Portuguese).
Waima’a
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| All kinds of tails (Iku nai-nain) | b and w (705kb pdf) | colour (1.40Mb pdf) |
| Come and see (Mai buni) | b and w (1.05Mb pdf) | colour (2.09Mb pdf) |
| Dog (Dasu) | b and w (880kb pdf) | colour (1.66Mb pdf) |
| Fruit and vegetables (Kai-wuo ruo kai-rae wai) | b and w (1.07Mb pdf) | colour (1.61Mb pdf) |
| I can (Aku be’u) | b and w (940kb pdf) | colour (1.21Mb pdf) |
| I like animals (Aku gosta animál) | b and w (950kb pdf) | colour (2.12Mb pdf) |
| Jobs (Sirbisu) | b and w (1.16Mb pdf) | colour (1.67Mb pdf) |
| Look at me (Buni mai aku) | b and w (1.06Mb pdf) | colour (2.2Mb pdf) |
| This is a house (Ne’i umo) | b and w (1.12Mb pdf) | colour (2.3Mb pdf) |
| Very big! (P’are dou!) | b and w (830kb pdf) | colour (1.28Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Kite laka la dii?) | b and w (1.28Mb pdf) | colour (1.86Mb pdf) |
Advanced reader
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Little (Bu Diha-Ana Nahi Laka-Laka) | b and w (2.17Mb pdf) | colour (2.35Mb pdf) |
Waima’a trilingual (Waima’a, Tetun, Portuguese)
| Title | Black and white edition | Colour edition |
|---|---|---|
| I like animals (Aku gosta animál) | b and w (950kb pdf) | colour (2.13Mb pdf) |
| This is a house (Ne’i umo) | b and w (1.12Mb pdf) | colour (2.30Mb pdf) |
| Where do we go? (Kite laka la dii?) | b and w (1.29Mb pdf) | colour (1.86Mb pdf) |