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Dutch and Papiamento!

Submitted by eagle on Mon, 10/03/2022 - 16:26

Curacao's a confusing land for languages. I think even for the locals. In stores when I go up to the cashier, if I wait for them to greet me so that I can figure out what language they speak, they sometimes seem to wait for me so that they can figure out what language to speak.

I don't really understand Dutch or Papiamento, written or spoken. There's enough similarity to English (for Dutch) and Portuguese and Spanish (for Papiamento) that I can figure out a few words, but not really make sense of much of what I see and hear. I kind of appreciate being able to tune out language more easily. :)

I'm gonna try to learn at least a few basic phrases...

Thank you
Bedankt
Dank je wel!
Danki
Mashi danki!

You're welcome
Bo ta bon bini (maybe literally "you're welcome here" instead of a response to "thank you"?)
Di nada
Graag gedaan

I like how Dutch sounds.
Ik hou van hoe nederlands klinkt

I don't speak Dutch
Ik spreek geen nederlands

Bye
Ayo

How are you?
Con ta bai?

Very good
Hopi bon!

See you later
Te aworo

I'm hungry
Mi tin hamber

I want to eat
Mi ke komer

Hole dushi
Smells good

Cheese
Keshi

Hot pepper
Pika

How much does that cost?
Kwanto esaki ta costa?

Just browsing
Mi ta wak rond

Money
Plaka

In town
Den caya

Go home
Ban kas

A kiss
Un sunchi

Deep kiss
Ranka lenga

A hug
Un braza

Cheat on someone
Ranka orea

Mi dushi
My sweetheart
(Dushi seems like the most common Papiamento word I see or hear. I think it's also a generic word for "good". Sounds funny to me, like "douchy".)

Delicious
Dushi 'om

Funny islands, Curacao and Aruba. They have their own nationality, language, currency, etc., even though they're mainly small "theme park islands". :)

Very good
Hopi bon

Things are going well.
Tur kos ta bon.

Beach
Lama

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