The first words you’ll probably hear when you arrive in Aruba are “Bon Bini!” Bon Bini means welcome, and you’ll hear this phrase used frequently by the friendly and accommodating Arubans.
The Aruban languange, Papiamento, is only spoken on the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao (the ABC island) and Saint Eustatius. It is a combination of 5 languages: Spanish, Portuguese, African, Dutch and Arawak Indian and has evolved much over the years.
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Most words are pronounced exactly as spelled. Helpful Papiamento phrases include:
Papiamento Greetings
- Have a good day: Pasa un bon dia
- Good Morning: Bon dia
- Goodbye: Ayo
- Good afternoon: Bon tardi
- Good evening: Bon nochi
- Please: For fabor
- Thank you: Danki (pronounced donkey)
- Thank you very much: Mashi Danki
- You are welcome: Di nada
- How are you?: Con ta bai (pronounced bye)
- Very Good!: Hopi bon
- I am fine: Mi ta bon
- See you later: slippery Press
Papiamento Dining Phrases
- I am hungry: mi tin hamber
- I want to eat: mi ke kome
- Food: cuminda
- Water: awa
- cuminda: Food
- Bread: pan
- Butter: manteca
- Cheese: keshi
- Fish: Pisca
- Cold cuts: beleg
- Milk: lechi
- Soda: soda
- Sweets/candy: mangel
- An Aruban lollipop: chupa bebe
- Sugar: tribe
- Salt: salo
- Pepper: pika
Papiamento Shopping Phrases
- kwanto esaki ta costa: How much does this cost
- Mi ta wak rond: Looking around, browsing
- Ban dal un trip: Lets go out on a trip
- Banco: The Bank
- Plaka: Money
- Ki pelicula ta hunga awe?: What movie is playing today
- keds: Sneakers
- shoes: Shoes
- den caya: In the town
- Mi tin sed: I’m thirsty
- Mi tin hamber: I’m hungry
- Ban kas: Lets go home
- Botica: Drugstore
Papiamento Words For a Loved One
- Un sunchi: A kiss
- A breaststroke: A hug
- Mi dushi: My sweetheart
- tur kos ta bon: Everything is going well
- ban sigi: Lets continue
- ban come: Lets eat
- awa: Water
- awacero: Rain
- lamps: Lightning
- strena: Thunder
- Nubia: Cloud
- lama: The beach, also the ocean
- tera: Sand, also country
- quote: The country side
- den stad: In the city
- na waf: At the port
- Use: Bridge
Papiamento Numbers
- 0 Zero, zero, nada
- 1 one prome (r), says prome (r)
- 10 dies
- 11 diesun
- 12 diesdos
- 13 diestres
- 14 diescuater
- 15 diescincu
- 20 binti
- 30 (thirty
- 40 forty
- 50 fifty
- 60 sixty
- 70 seventy
- April: April
- May: Mei
- June: June
- July: July
- August: Augustus
- September September
- October Ooctober
- November November
- December December
Papiamento Action Verbs
- to give: the Danube
- to buy: kumpra
- to sell: bende
- to drink: bebe
- to sleep: drumi
- to sit: feel
Plan your next trip to Aruba with .
Before you leave this beautiful island, I guarantee you’ll be saying Mi stima Aruba! (I love Aruba!)
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