Papiamentu

Papiamento

Iberian-based creole

FamilyIberian-based creole Speakers~330K ScriptLatin CountriesAruba, Curaçao, Bonaire (Dutch Caribbean) Official inAruba, Curaçao, Bonaire (alongside Dutch) Vitalitysafe ISO 639-3pap

Papiamento (Curaçao/Bonaire) and Papiamentu (Aruba) is an Iberian-based creole with ~330K speakers — co-official in the Dutch Caribbean ABC islands alongside Dutch. Portuguese-Spanish lexifier with Dutch, English, and West African substrate (Sephardic Jewish merchant trade origin 17-18c. + slave plantation labor). Tonal among creoles (rare); standardized orthography in 1976 (Curaçao) / 1976 (Aruba).

Where it is spoken

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87 core words in Papiamento

Water

awa

awa

Fire

kandela

kandela

Sun

solo

solo

Moon

luna

luna

Star

strea

ˈstrea

Night

nochi

ˈnotʃi

Rain

yobida

jobida

Snow

sneu

sneu

Wind

bientu

ˈbjentu

Earth

tera

teɾa

Stone

piedra

ˈpjedra

Mountain

seru

ˈseru

Sea

laman

laˈman

Mother

mama

mama

Father

tata

tata

Daughter

yu muhé

ju muhe

I

mi

mi

You

bo

bo

We

nos

nos

Name

nòmber

ˈnɔmbər

Person

hende

ˈhende

Head

kabes

kaˈbes

Eye

wowo

wowo

Ear

orea

oˈɾea

Nose

nanishi

naˈniʃi

Mouth

boka

ˈboka

Tooth

djente

ˈdʒente

Tongue

lenga

ˈleŋɡa

Hand

man

man

Foot

pia

pia

Heart

kurason

kurason

Bone

wesu

ˈwesu

Blood

sanger

ˈsaŋɡer

Poop

kaka

kaka

Love

amor

amor

Tree

palu

palu

Dog

kacho

katʃo

Cat

pushi

puʃi

Fish

piská

pisˈka

Bird

para

ˈpara

Butterfly

barbulètè

barbuˈlɛtɛ

Egg

webu

ˈwebu

Bear

ber

ber

Horse

kabai

kaˈbai

House

kas

kas

Milk

lechi

ˈletʃi

Honey

miel

mjɛl

Salt

salu

salu

Wine

biña

ˈbiɲa

Rice

aros

aˈros

Chocolate

chukulati

tʃukuˈlati

Iron

heru

ˈheru

Wheel

wiel

wil

Silk

seda

ˈseda

Book

buki

ˈbuki

Eat

kome

kome

Drink

bebe

bebe

Sleep

drumi

ˈdrumi

One

un

un

Two

dos

dos

Three

tres

tres

Four

kuater

ˈkwater

Five

sinku

ˈsiŋku

Hundred

shen

ʃen

Hello

bon dia

bon dia

Thank you

danki

daŋki

Good

bon

bon

New

nobo

ˈnobo

Red

kòrá

kɔˈra

White

blanku

ˈblaŋku

Black

pretu

ˈpretu

Green

bèrdè

ˈbɛrdɛ

Blue

blou

blou

Computer

kòmpiuter

kɔmpjuter

Sushi

sushi

suʃi

Tea

té

te

Coffee

kòfi

ˈkɔfi

Sugar

suku

ˈsuku

Orange

apelsina

apelˈsina

Ninety-nine

nobent'i nuebe

nobenti nwebe

Dopamine

dopamina

dopamina

Sources

Words compared

Compared with languages in the same classification: Iberian-based creole

Meaning PapiamentoChavacanoArgentine SpanishUruguayan SpanishGuatemalan SpanishCosta Rican SpanishHonduran Spanish
Water awa /awa/ agua /ˈaɡwa/ agua /ˈaɣwa/ agua /ˈaɣwa/ agua /ˈaɣwa/ agua /ˈaɣwa/ agua /ˈaɣwa/
Fire kandela /kandela/ fuego /ˈfweɡo/ fuego /ˈfweɣo/ fuego /ˈfweɣo/ fuego /ˈfweɣo/ fuego /ˈfweɣo/ fuego /ˈfweɣo/
Sun solo /solo/ sol /sol/ sol /sol/ sol /sol/ sol /sol/ sol /sol/ sol /sol/
Moon luna /luna/ luna /ˈluna/ luna /ˈluna/ luna /ˈluna/ luna /ˈluna/ luna /ˈluna/ luna /ˈluna/
Star strea /ˈstrea/ estrellas /esˈtɾejas/ estrella /esˈtɾeʃa/ estrella /esˈtɾeʒa/ estrella /esˈtɾea/ estrella /esˈtɾeʝa/ estrella /esˈtɾeʝa/
Night nochi /ˈnotʃi/ noche /ˈnotʃe/ noche /ˈnotʃe/ noche /ˈnotʃe/ noche /ˈnotʃe/ noche /ˈnotʃe/ noche /ˈnotʃe/
Rain yobida /jobida/ ulan /uˈlan/ lluvia /ˈʒuβja/ lluvia /ˈʒuβja/ lluvia /ˈʝuβja/ lluvia /ˈʝuβja/ lluvia /ˈʝuβja/
Snow sneu /sneu/ nieve /ˈnjebe/ nieve /ˈnjeβe/ nieve /ˈnjeβe/ nieve /ˈnjeβe/ nieve /ˈnjeβe/ nieve /ˈnjeβe/
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Word order compared

Compare with major world languages

Papiamento
Mi ke proba e trachi ku mi a mira den e butik na frente di e hotel
I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
Ich möchte einen Anzug anprobieren den ich in einem Geschäft gegenüber vom Hotel gesehen habe
मैं होटल के सामने एक दुकान में देखा सूट को पहनकर देखना चाहता हूँ
私は ホテルの 向かいの お店 で 見た スーツを 試着 したいです
我 想 试穿 酒店 对面的 商店 里 看到的 那套西装
أنا أريد أن أجرب بدلة رأيتها في محل مقابل الفندق
Я хочу примерить костюм который я увидел в магазине напротив отеля

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