Useful phrases in Papiamento

A collection of useful phrases in Papiamento a creole language spoken in

Aruba in the Netherlands Antilles.
Jump to phrases
Click on any of the (non-English) phrases that are links (blue) to hear
them spoken. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional
translations, please contact me.
To see these phrases in many other languages click on the English
versions. If you'd like to see these phrases in any combination of two
languages, try the Phrase Finder.

English Papiamentu (Papiamento)

Welcome Bon bini

Bon dia
Hello (General greeting)
Halo

Conbai cubo?
Conta cubo?
How are you? Conta baiendo cubo?
Con ta bai? (frm)
Con cos ta? (inf)

Mi ta bon, danki. Y abo?

Reply to 'How are you?'
Ami ta bon danki, I abo?

Long time no see Hopi tempo sin wak bo

Con jamabo?
What's your name? Con yama bo?
Con bo nomber ta?

Mi nomber ta ...
My name is ...
Ami yama ...

Where are you from? Foi unda bo ta?

 Di unda bo ta?
Di cual pais bo ta?

Mi ta foi ...
I'm from ... Ami ta di ...
Mi a bin for di ...

Contento di mira bo
Pleased to meet you
Ta un plaser di conocebo

Good morning Bon dia

(Morning greeting) Mòro

Good afternoon
Bon tardi
(Afternoon greeting)

Good evening
Bon nochi
(Evening greeting)

Good night Bon nochi

Ajo
Goodbye
Te aworo
(Parting phrases)
Te otro biaha

Bon suerte
Good luck!
Hopi Suerte

Cheers! Good Health! Salud!

(Toasts used when drinking) Bon salud!

Pasa bon dia

Have a nice day
Pasa un bon dia

Bon appetit /
Bon apetit
Have a nice meal

Bon voyage /
Un bon vuelo
Have a good journey
 Mi ta comprende
I understand
Mi a comprende bo

Mi no ta comprende bo
I don't understand
Mi no a compronde bo

I don't know Ami no sa

Please speak more slowly Porfabor papia un tiki mas poko poko

Bo por ripiti e mesun cos pami plies

Please say that again Bo por ripiti e mesun cos pami por fabor
Porfabor Bo por bisami un biaha mas e mesun cos

Please write it down Bo por skirbie pami porfabor

Do you speak English? Bo por papia Ingles?

Do you speak Papiamento? Bo por papia papiamento?

Yes, a little Si, poco

(reply to 'Do you speak ...?') Si, un tiki

How do you say ... in Papiamento? Con bo ta bisa ... den papiamento?

Despensa mi
Excuse me
Disculpami

Kwanto esaki ta costa?

How much is this?
Cuanto esaki ta costa?

Sorry Sori

Porfabor
Please
Plies

Danki
Thank you
Masha danki

Reply to thank you Na bo ordo (frm)

 Di nada (inf)

Unda e baño ta?

Where's the toilet / bathroom?
Na unda e baño ta?

This gentleman will pay for everything E meneer lo paga pa tur cos

This lady will pay for everything E señora lo paga pa tur cos

Bo lo kier baila cumi? (frm)

Would you like to dance with me?
Bo kier baila? (inf)

Mi ta haña bo falta (frm)

I miss you
Mi ta echt mis bo (inf)

Mi ta stimabo (frm)
I love you
Mi stimabo (inf)

Mehora pronto
Get well soon
Pronto recuperacion

Bai for di kinan! (frm)

Go away!
Bai awo! (inf)

Lagami mi so! (frm)

Leave me alone!
Lagami na paz! (inf)

Help! Yudami!

Fire! Candela!

Stop! Stop!

Call the police! Yama polis!

Bon pasco y Bon aña

Christmas and New Year greetings
Bon pasco i un felis aña nobo

Bon pasco
Easter greetings
Bon pasco di resureccion
Birthday greetings Felis cumpleaño

Un lenguage nunka ta sufisiente

One language is never enough
Un idioma nunka ta sufisiente

My hovercraft is full of eels

Mi hovercraft ta yen di conglá
Why this phrase?

Papiamento phrases from Ethan Ligon and Elena "Eve" Jacob, with
recordings by Henky Makaai