Papiamento, or Papiamentu, is the language spoken on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao (the so-called ABC islands).
Papiamento is a creole language with roots in primarily African, Portuguese and Dutch and to a lesser extent Spanish, and Native Indian languages.¹
Papiamentu is one of the few Creole Languages of the
Caribbean that has survived to the present day.
Some Common Words and Phrases
| Papiamentu | English |
|---|---|
| Pakiko traha | Why work |
| Bon Bini | Welcome |
| bon dia | good day (before noon) |
| bon tardi | good afternoon |
| bon nochi | good evening; good night |
| danki | thank you |
| por fabor | please |
| di nada | you are welcome |
| mi number di telefon ta ... | my phone number is ... (see numbers) |
| bél mi | call me |
| kon ta bai ku bo | how are you? |
| kon ta ku bida | how is life? |
| hopi bon | very good |
| tremiento | very good |
| trankilo | calm, everything ok |
| terible | terrible |
| den gran forma | in great shape (said among young/cool people) |
| hopi kalor/caliente | very hot/warm |
| ata aki / ataki | here is the (the second "a" is not pronounced) |
| mi tin hamber | I am hungry |
| mi ke kome | I want to eat |
| lihe, pura, rapido | fast, quick |
| yufrow | Miss |
| señora | Misses |
| mai | very old lady (used instead of Miss) |
| mener | Sir, Mr. |
| flet tair | flat tire |
| sigur | sure |
| pakiko | why? (as in "what for?") |
| dikon | why? (as in "what is wrong with you?") |
| di cón | why |
| i | and |
| awe | today |
| ayera | yesterday |
| pan | bread |
| na cas | at home |
| awa | water |
| paña nobo | new cloths |
| casá, esposa, señora | spouse, wife |
| casá, esposo | spouse, husband |
| cuá | which |
| kí | what |
| nada | nothing |
| cu mi | with me |
| pa mi | for me |
| tur cos | everything |
| tur hende | everybody |
| tur caminda | everywhere |
| mainta | morning |
| merdía | noon |
| tramerdia | afternoon |
| ningun hende | nobody |
| sin | without |
| si | if |
| bon | good |
| malu | bad |