Papiaments it is!
When you do an internship or work on Curaçao, you always come into contact with people who speak Dutch less well. Papiamentu is the most spoken language on Curaçao and it certainly doesn't hurt before you come here to learn a few words and sentences.
The official language on Curaçao is Papiamentu, a mix of fully developed languages and slave dialects. On the island you can easily manage with Dutch (and also English and Spanish), but it is nice if you know a number of Papiamento words and sentences. Words with equal spelling get a different meaning by shifting the emphasis.
We have selected a number of words and sentences for you, which can be useful in daily life on Curaçao!
Greetings
|
|
| Hello | Halo |
| Good morning | Bon dia |
| Good afternoon | Bon tardi |
| Good evening | Bon nochi |
| Good week (on Mondays) | Bon siman |
| Bye | Ayo |
| See you later | Te despues |
| How are you? | Kon ta bai? |
| It's fine | Mi ta bon |
Dutch
Papiaments
|
|
| Hello | |
| Good morning | |
| Good afternoon | |
| Good evening | |
| Good week (on Mondays) | |
| Bye | |
| See you later | |
| How are you? | |
| It's fine |
|
|
| Halo | |
| Bon dia | |
| Bon tardi | |
| Bon nochi | |
| Bon siman | |
| Ayo | |
| Te despues | |
| Kon ta bai? | |
| Mi ta bon |
Days of the week
|
|
| Monday | Djaluna |
| Tuesday | Djamars |
| Wednesday | Djarason |
| Thursday | Djaweps |
| Friday | Djabièrnè |
| Saturday | Djasabra |
| Sunday | Djadomingu |
|
|
| Monday | |
| Tuesday | |
| Wednesday | |
| Thursday | |
| Friday | |
| Saturday | |
| Sunday |
|
|
| Djaluna | |
| Djamars | |
| Djarason | |
| Djaweps | |
| Djabièrnè | |
| Djasabra | |
| Djadomingu |
Getallen
|
|
| Zero | Sero |
| One | Un |
| Two | Dos |
| Three | Tres |
| Four | Kuater |
| Five | Sinku |
| Six | Seis |
| Seven | Shete |
| Eight | Ocho |
| Nine | Nuebe |
| Ten | Dies |
| Eleven | Diesun |
| Twelve | Diesdos |
| Thirteen | Diestres |
| Twenty | Binti |
| Thirty | Trinta |
| Forty | Kuarenta |
| Fifty | Sinkuenta |
| Sixty | Sesenta |
| Seventy | Setenta |
| Eighty | Ochenta |
| Ninety | Nobenta |
| Hundred | Shen |
| Thousand | Mil |
|
|
| Zero | |
| One | |
| Two | |
| Three | |
| Four | |
| Five | |
| Six | |
| Seven | |
| Eight | |
| Nine | |
| Ten | |
| Eleven | |
| Twelve | |
| Thirteen | |
| Twenty | |
| Thirty | |
| Forty | |
| Fifty | |
| Sixty | |
| Seventy | |
| Eighty | |
| Ninety | |
| Hundred | |
| Thousand |
|
|
| Sero | |
| Un | |
| Dos | |
| Tres | |
| Kuater | |
| Sinku | |
| Seis | |
| Shete | |
| Ocho | |
| Nuebe | |
| Dies | |
| Diesun | |
| Diesdos | |
| Diestres | |
| Binti | |
| Trinta | |
| Kuarenta | |
| Sinkuenta | |
| Sesenta | |
| Setenta | |
| Ochenta | |
| Nobenta | |
| Shen | |
| Mil |
People
|
|
| Men | Homber |
| Woman | Yufrow |
| Mrs | Señora |
| Sir | Menér/sir |
| I | (A)mi |
| You | (A)bo |
| He, she, it | E |
| We | Nos |
| You all | Boso |
| Them | Nan |
| The two of us | Nos dos |
| Everyone | Tur hende |
| No one | Ningun hende |
| Son | Yiu homber |
| Daughter | Yiu muhé |
| Boy | Mucha homber |
| Girl | Mucha muhé |
| Men | Homber |
| Woman | Muher |
| Brother | Ruman homber |
| Sister | Ruman muhé |
| Parents | Mayo(r)nan |
|
|
| Men | |
| Woman | |
| Mrs | |
| Sir | |
| I | |
| You | |
| He, she, it | |
| We | |
| You all | |
| Them | |
| The two of us | |
| Everyone | |
| No one | |
| Son | |
| Daughter | |
| Boy | |
| Girl | |
| Men | |
| Woman | |
| Brother | |
| Sister | |
| Parents |
|
|
| Homber | |
| Yufrow | |
| Señora | |
| Menér/sir | |
| (A)mi | |
| (A)bo | |
| E | |
| Nos | |
| Boso | |
| Nan | |
| Nos dos | |
| Tur hende | |
| Ningun hende | |
| Yiu homber | |
| Yiu muhé | |
| Mucha homber | |
| Mucha muhé | |
| Homber | |
| Muher | |
| Ruman homber | |
| Ruman muhé | |
| Mayo(r)nan |
Colors
|
|
| Red | Kòrá |
| White | Blanku |
| Blue | Blou |
| Yellow | Hel |
| Green | Berde |
| Black | Pretu |
|
|
| Red | |
| White | |
| Blue | |
| Yellow | |
| Green | |
| Black |
|
|
| Kòrá | |
| Blanku | |
| Blou | |
| Hel | |
| Berde | |
| Pretu |
Useful sentences
|
|
| I do not understand | Mi no ta komprondé |
| What's your name? | Kon yama bo? |
| My name is... | Mi yama… |
| Where are you from? | Unda bo ta biba? |
| I'm from Holland | Mi ta biba na Hulanda |
| How old are you? | Kuantu aña bo tin? |
| Nice to see you | Contento di mira bo |
| Where do we meet? | Unda nos ta contra? |
| Where do you work? | Unda bo ta traha? |
| Where do you live? | Unda bo ta biba? |
| Congratulations | Masha pabien |
| Everything is fine | Tur kos ta bon |
| Call me | Bél mi |
| I can talk Papiamento | Mi por papia Papiamento |
| My phone number is | Mi number di telefon ta |
| I love Curacao | Mi stima Korsou |
| Very well | Hopi bon |
| How much does this cost? | Kwanto esaki ta costa? |
| I'm thirsty | Mi tin sed |
| I'm hungry | Mi tin hamber |
|
|
| I do not understand | |
| What's your name? | |
| My name is... | |
| Where are you from? | |
| I'm from Holland | |
| How old are you? | |
| Nice to see you | |
| Where do we meet? | |
| Where do you work? | |
| Where do you live? | |
| Congratulations | |
| Everything is fine | |
| Call me | |
| I can talk Papiamento | |
| My phone number is | |
| I love Curacao | |
| Very well | |
| How much does this cost? | |
| I'm thirsty | |
| I'm hungry |
|
|
| Mi no ta komprondé | |
| Kon yama bo? | |
| Mi yama… | |
| Unda bo ta biba? | |
| Mi ta biba na Hulanda | |
| Kuantu aña bo tin? | |
| Contento di mira bo | |
| Unda nos ta contra? | |
| Unda bo ta traha? | |
| Unda bo ta biba? | |
| Masha pabien | |
| Tur kos ta bon | |
| Bél mi | |
| Mi por papia Papiamento | |
| Mi number di telefon ta | |
| Mi stima Korsou | |
| Hopi bon | |
| Kwanto esaki ta costa? | |
| Mi tin sed | |
| Mi tin hamber |
Useful words
|
|
| Here | Aki |
| Beautiful | Bunita |
| Small | Chikito |
| A lot of | Hopi |
| Few | Tiki |
| Everything | Tur cos |
| Nothing | Nada |
| New | Nobo |
| Never | Nunca |
| Without | Sin |
| Quiet | Tránkilo |
| Bad | Málu |
| Bill | Kuenta |
| Wine | Binja |
| Money | Plaka |
| Cheap | Barata |
| Expensive | Durashon |
| Bank | Banko |
| Welcome | Bon Bini |
| Sweet, soft, tasty, beautiful, cute, good, fine, pleasant, sweet, nice, friendly, sweet, sweetheart, sweetheart, candy, candy, sweetie ... | Dushi |
|
|
| Here | |
| Beautiful | |
| Small | |
| A lot of | |
| Few | |
| Everything | |
| Nothing | |
| New | |
| Never | |
| Without | |
| Quiet | |
| Bad | |
| Bill | |
| Wine | |
| Money | |
| Cheap | |
| Expensive | |
| Bank | |
| Welcome | |
| Sweet, soft, tasty, beautiful, cute, good, fine, pleasant, sweet, nice, friendly, sweet, sweetheart, sweetheart, candy, candy, sweetie ... |
|
|
| Aki | |
| Bunita | |
| Chikito | |
| Hopi | |
| Tiki | |
| Tur cos | |
| Nada | |
| Nobo | |
| Nunca | |
| Sin | |
| Tránkilo | |
| Málu | |
| Kuenta | |
| Binja | |
| Plaka | |
| Barata | |
| Durashon | |
| Banko | |
| Bon Bini | |
| Dushi |