Papiamento Phrases: Beginner’s Guide to Basic Words, Pronunciation
Papiamento is a blend of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and African languages. Spoken primarily in the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, it’s as vibrant and colorful as the cultures it represents.
In this guide, you’ll learn basic Papiamento phrases and words for your upcoming trip.
Common Papiamento Greetings and Introductions
Diving right in, greetings are an ideal starting point.
In Papiamento, you say “Bon dia” for ‘Good Morning’, “Bon tardi” for ‘Good Afternoon’, and “Bon nochi” for ‘Good Evening’. These can break the ice while interacting with locals.
If it’s your first time meeting someone, a great way to introduce yourself is by saying “Mi nomber ta…“, meaning ‘My name is…’. Follow that with your name and voilà – you’ve just made your first introduction in Papiamento!
Everyday phrases such as ‘How are you?’ and ‘Nice to meet you.’ translate to “Con bo ta?” and “Contento di mirabo“.
There’s a host of ways you can express politeness in Papiamento. Saying ‘Masha danki‘ instead of ‘Thank you very much’ can earn you a lot of respect from the locals.
If apologies are in order, “Mi ta pidi dispensa“ is a polite way to say ‘I apologize’.
So, let’s dive in. I’ll be providing a list of basic Papiamento words and phrases in the next sections. Stay tuned! Let’s feel the rhythm of Papiamento together.
| English Phrase | Papiamento Translation |
|---|---|
| Good Morning | Bon dia |
| Good Afternoon | Bon tardi |
| Good Evening | Bon nochi |
| My name is… | Mi nomber ta… |
| How are you? | Con bo ta? |
| Nice to meet you | Contento di mirabo |
| Thank you very much | Masha danki |
| I apologize | Mi ta pidi dispensa |
What Does Bon Bini Mean?
Bon Bini means “Welcome!”. You’ll hear this phrase used frequently by the friendly and accommodating Arubans.
Essential Travel Phrases
Here are more phrases that will make your travel smoother and help you make stronger connections with the locals.
Navigating the Terrain
What’s travel without a little adventure? As you saunter down the winding lanes of an island, you might need to ask for directions. “Unda e caminda pa (insert place)?” will be your go-to phrase. It means Where is the way to…?
If you’re completely lost, “Mi ta perdi.” or I am lost. ought to get you some help.
- bin aki: Come here
- ban sali: Lets go out
- ban goza: Lets enjoy
- tur kos ta bon: Everything is going well
- ban sigi: Lets continue
- ban come: Lets eat
- awa: Water
- awacero: Rain
- lamper: Lightning
- strena: Thunder
- nubia: Cloud
- lama: The beach, also the ocean
- tera: Sand, also country
- kunuku: The country side
- den stad: In the city
- na waf: At the port
- brug: Bridge
Numbers and Money Matters
Whether you’re haggling in the local market or counting the change, a basic understanding of numbers is essential. Practice your ‘cero’ to ‘dies’ (zero to ten) as verse numbers are sure to come in handy.
- 0 zero, nul, nada
- 1 unu prome(r), di prome(r)
- 2 dos di dos
- 3 tres di tres
- 4 kwater, cuater (and so on)
- 5 sinku, cincu
- 6 seis
- 7 shete, siete
- 8 ocho
- 9 nuebe
- 10 dies
- 11 diesun
- 12 diesdos
- 13 diestres
- 14 diescuater
- 15 diescincu
- 20 binti
- 30 trinta
- 40 cuarenta
- 50 cincuenta
- 60 sesenta
- 70 setenta
- 80 ochenta
- 90 nobenta
- 100 cien
- 1000 mil
Here’s more about numbers in Papiamento and Papiamentu.
Dining Out
Mouth-watering local cuisine is one of the greatest joys of travel. Ask for a table by saying “Mi kier un mesa.” which translates to I want a table.
To appreciate the delicious food, say “E cuminda ta dushi.” meaning The food is delicious.
- I am hungry: mi tin hamber
- I want to eat: mi ke kome
- Food: cuminda
- Water: awa
- Bread: pan
- Sugar: suku
- Salt: salo
- Pepper: pika
- Butter: manteca
- Cheese: keshi
- Fish: Pisca
- Cold cuts: beleg
- Milk: lechi
- Soda: refresco
- Sweets/candy: mangel
- Aruban lollipop: chupa bebe
Here’s our full guide to food phrases in Papiamentu and Papiamento.
11 Papiamento Words For a Loved One
- Mi amor: My love
- Mi dushi: My sweetheart
- Ku tur mi amor: With all my love
- Un sunchi: A kiss
- Un braza: A hug
- dushi ‘om: Delicious or great
- Ranka Lenga: To french kiss
- frei: A loved one
- ranka orea: To cheat on someone
- hole dushi: Smells good
- Hopi bon: Very good
7 Papiamento Days of the Week
When planning activities or simply trying to keep track of time, knowing how to refer to days and months is crucial.
- Sunday: dia domingu
- Monday: dia luna
- Tuesday: dia mars
- Wednesday: dia rason
- Thursday: diaweps
- Friday: diabièrne
- Saturday: dia sabra
12 Papiamento Months
- January: Januari
- February: Feruari
- March: Maart
- April: April
- May: Mei
- June: Juni
- July: Juli
- August: Augustus
- September September
- October Ooctober
- November November
- December December
Tips for Pronouncing Papiamento Words
One of the first things to consider when diving into pronouncing Papiamento words correctly is syllable stress.
Papiamento, like Spanish, gives equal stress to each syllable in a word. So, for a word like “bonbini” (which means welcome), you wouldn’t put particularly heavy emphasis on any one part—just keep the stress equal across the board.
Understanding the sounds of the letters in Papiamento will also be crucial and that becomes quite easy once you keep in mind that each letter has only one sound.
Unlike English, Papiamento doesn’t have silent letters or multiple pronunciations for single letters, which could make things easier for you.
Here are a few Papiamento pronunciation rules you might find helpful:
- Vowels in Papiamento are pronounced as in Spanish. So, ‘a’ is pronounced ‘ah’, ‘e’ as ‘eh’, ‘i’ as ‘ee’, ‘o’ as ‘oh’, and ‘u’ as ‘oo’.
- ‘c’ is always pronounced as ‘k’.
- ‘g’ is always a hard ‘g’ as in ‘game’.
- ‘j’ is pronounced like ‘y’ in ‘yes’.
- ‘y’ by itself is pronounced ‘i’.
To make the learning process more interesting, you could play some quality online Papiamento audio to get a feel of how each letter and word should sound. Or use a language app with pronunciation guides.
Don’t rush through the learning journey. It’s okay to make mistakes – they’re a part of the process. It’s more important to learn at your own pace and have fun as you acquire this new language skill.
History of Papiamento Language
Papiamento is not a constructed language. Rather, it naturally evolved over several centuries through the contact of diverse cultures and languages.
Some historians feel that Papiamento dates back as early as the 15th century.
Others feel that the language didn’t emerge until the 17th or 18th century after the Dutch captured the islands from the Spanish. Under this theory, Papiamento developed as a Creole language on the plantations. This language then evolved and absorbed elements from the languages of the Portuguese, Spanish, English, and Dutch administrators on the islands.
Reviewing the Papiamento lexicon, we see a strong presence of Portuguese and Spanish. For instance, over 80% of Papiamento words have a Portuguese or Spanish origin. But we can’t ignore the contribution of Dutch, English, and a range of African languages.
In the late 19th century, Papiamento was given formal recognition in Curaçao. Over the years, Papiamento has cemented its place in the society and culture of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. It’s their native language, used in daily conversation, literature, education, media, and even government discourse.
Here are the 7 countries with Papiamento speakers.
And here’s how they compare: Papiamento vs Papiamentu
Importance of Learning Basic Papiamento Phrases
When you visit the ABC Islands, you’ll notice that most locals speak Papiamento. Although English is widely spoken, having a few phrases under your belt will give you a more authentic experience.
It’s not just about getting by or being polite. But also about connecting with the local culture.
Being able to say ‘Bon dia’ (good morning), ‘Danki’ (thank you) or ‘Con ta bai?’ (how are you?), goes a long way in making connections.
It opens up conversation, shows respect for their culture, and makes you more than just a tourist visiting their land.
Papiamento is not a complicated language to learn, especially the basics. As a Creole language, it has combined elements from several languages including Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and African languages, making it resonant with a broad range of people.
You might even find some words are similar to ones you know from other languages!
Your Turn
I hope you’ve found my tips helpful. Remember, it’s all about practice, patience, and perseverance. Don’t be afraid to stumble on your words or make mistakes – that’s how we learn!
Use the resources I’ve suggested and embrace the process. I’m confident that with time and effort, you’ll be chatting away in Papiamento like a pro.
How did it go for you? Have a tip or correction to share? Please join me in the comments!
