Pronunciation Key:
tx == as in 'chief' dj == as in 'joy' nh == as in 'onion' j == as in 'pleasure' x == as in 'fish'
EXPRESSIONS
Thank you----------Obrigadu You're Welcome----Di Nada Please-------------Pur favor Good Luck----------Boa Sorti Excuse me--------- Da-n lisensa It's a Pleasure------E un Prazer Yes--------------------Sin No---------------------Nau
GREETINGS
Good Morning......Bon dia
Good Afternoon...Boa tardi
Good Evening.......Bo noiti
How are you?........Modi bu sta?
Very well..............Muitu ben
See you later.........Te logu
Good luck..............Boa sorti
Good journey........Boa viaji
WORDORIGINS (?)
Find Out ---- Fandata Grog --------- Grogu Locker -------- Lóka Punch --------- Pontxi Shovel -------- Xóbra
Questions / Perguntas
Who? Ken / Kenha
Where? Undi?
How? Modi?
When? Ki tempu? / Ki Ora?
What? Kuze?
Why? Pamodi?
Can you? Bu podi?
Tell me? Fla-n?
Give me? Da-n?
Show me? Mostra-n?
How many/much? Kantu?
How long? Kantu tempu?
How far? Ki distansia?
What is that? Kela e kuze?
What is this? Keli e kuze?
What do you Want? Kuze bu kre?
Conversation / Konvers
My name is...
Nha nomi e ..
Where is the car?
Undi karu sta ?
Where do you live?
Undi bu ta mora ?
What time is it?
Ki óra sta?
Until next time!
Ti prosima vez!
How old are you?
Ki idadi bu ten?
How are you?
Modi bu sta?
Food is ready
coffee......................kafé
tea...............................xá
sugar..................asukra
eggs.........................ovu
milk............................lêti
water........................agu
bread.......................pon
butter...............mantêga
fish...........................pêxi
meat.......................karni
rice...........................arôs
potato..................batata
salt...............................sâl
sausage...........linguisa
tuna...........................atun
lobster...............lagosta
octopus.................polvu
roasted................asadu
fried.............fritu / fritadu
boiled..................kuzidu
roasted................toradu
orange................laranja
watermelon...melansia
date...............tambarina
SIMPLE SENTENCE – FRAZIS
Do you have brother / sister?
Bu ten irmon / irmá ?
Tens irmão / irmâ?
What kind of work do you want?
Ki tipu di trabadju bu kre ?
Que tipo de trabalho queres?
Do you speak English-Crioulo?
Bu ta papia Inglez-Kriolu?
Falas Inglês-Crioulo
When did you come to the USA?
Ki tempu bu ben pa Merka?
Quando é que vieste para os EUA?
It's a pleasure to talk with you!
E um prazer papia ku bo!
É um prazer falar contigo!
Do you know how to drive a car?
Bu sabi gia karu?
Sabes conduzir um automovél?
Good morning!
Bon dia!
Bom dia
Good Afternoon!
Bo tardi!
Boa tarde!
Good Evening!
Bo noiti!
Boa noite!
My name is...
Nhanomi e...
O meu nome é...
Where do you live?
Undi bu ta mora ?
Onde moras?
What time is it?
Ki óra sta?
Que horas estão?
Until next time!
Até prosima vez!
Até a proxima vista
How are you?
Modi bu sta?
Como estás?
Do you know where I can find work?
Bu sabi undi N podi átxa trabadju?
Sabes onde posso encontrar emprego?
Do you know when the bus arrives?
Bu sabi ki óra autokaru ta txiga?
Sabes quando é que o autocarro chega aqui?
Do you know why the child is crying?
Bu sabi pamódi mininu sta txora?
Sabes porque é que a criança está a chorar?
Do you know what they said?
Bu sabi kuzé ez fla?
Sabes o que é que o Sr. Smith disse?
See you later!
Te' logu!
Até logo!
Do you know (person) Mr. Smith?
Bu konxi (alguen) Sr. Smith ?
Conheces (pessoa) Sr. Smith?
How old are you?
Ki idadi bu ten ?
Que idade tens?
Days of the Week / Dias di Simana
Sunday...................Dia Dumingu
Monday..................Sigunda Fera
Tuesday.....................Tersa Fera
Wednesday...............Kuarta Fera
Thursday.....................Kinta Fera
Friday.........................Sesta Fera
Saturday..........................Sábadu
Basic Capeverdean Creole Grammar
Nouns in Kriolu are masculine or feminine, but the masculine predominates.
Plural is formed by adding S to the end of the word, but often the plural is ommitted.
The Definite article (the) is usually ommitted, but the Indefinite article (A, Some) is retained.
The Adjective often agrees with with gender but seldom with number of the noun.
The Negative is formed by adding the article 'Ka' before the verb.
____________________________________________________________________
Personal |Possessive |Possessive
Pronouns |Pronouns |Adjectives
--------------------+--------------------+--------------
I N,Ami MY Nha Mine DiMeo
You Bu,Abo Your Bu Yours DiBo
He El,Ael His Se His DiSel
She El,Ael Hers Se Hers DiSel
We Nu,Anos Our Nos Ours DiNos
You Nhos, Anhos Yours Nhos Yours DiNhos
They Es,Aes Their Ses TheirsDiSes
_________________________
Demonstrative Pronouns
-------------------------
This Es
These Es
That Kel
Those Kes
That (over there) Kel la
Those(over there) Kes la
VERBS
'To be' translates to Ser (permanent state) and Sta (temporary state).
Present tense - Keeps the root of the verb unchanged.
Past tense - Append'-ba' to the root verb.(Ex: Podeba. Viveba. Permitiba)
Conditional tense - Adds'ta' before the past tense.(Ex: N ta podeba)
Future tense - Add'ta' before the present tense.Ex: ( N ta podi)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Verb Verbu | Verb Verbu | Verb Verbu |
------------------|---------------------|-------------------
Able Podi Bathe Tuma banhu Call Txuma
Accept Aseita Be Ser Cancel Anula
Ache Due Become torna Carry Karega
Add Soma Begin Kumesa Catch Panha
Agree Konkorda BelieveKre Change Troka
Allow Permiti Belong Pertense Charge Kobra
Alter Altera Bite Morde Check Izamina
Amuse Divirti Bleed Bota sangi Choose Skodji
Annoy Inkomoda Blow Sopra Clean Limpa
Answer Rispondi Book Rizerva Climb Subi
Borrow Imprista
Arrive Txiga Bother Irrita Come Ben
Ask Pirgunta Break Kebra Complain Kexa
Avoid Ivita BreatheRespira ConnectLiga
Bring Traze Cook Kuzinha
Bruise Tingi Copy Kopia
Brush Skoba Cost Kusta
Burn Kema Count Konta
Burst Rabenta Cover Kubri
Buy Kumpra Cross Travesa
Cry Txora
Cure Kura
Cut Korta
Dance Badja Eat Kume Fall Kai
DecideDisidi Embarras vergonha Feed Da kumida
Declare Diklara Enjoy Goza Feel Xinti
Deliver Entrega Enter Entra Fetch Buska
Depart Bai Escape Skapa Fight Briga
Dine Djanta Expect Spera Fill Intxi
Disturb Perturba ExplainSplika Find Atxa
Dive Mergudja Finish Kaba
Do Fazi Fish Piska
Dock Traka Fly Bua
Draw Dizenha Fold Dobra
Drink Bebi Follow Sigi
Drive Guia Forbid Proibi
Dry Seka Forget Skesi
Dye Tinji
Gamble Djuga Give Da
Go Bai Grow Kresi
Hang Pendura Identify Identifika
Happen Kontesi Imagine Imajina
Have Ten Include Inkludi
Hear Obi Invite Konvida
Help Djuda
Hold Pega
Hope Spera
Hunt Kasa
Hurt Due
Jump Salta Keep Guarda
Kick Xuta
Kiss Da beju
Knock Konku
Know Sabi
Know Konxi Laugh Ri
Lead Guia
Learn Prendi
Leave Sai
Lend Enprista
Live Vive
Love Ama
Some Creole Vocabulary - Alguns Palavras na Kriolu
ardiga = worry
azar = bad luck
badiu = man from Santiago
bafiu = snack eaten with grogu. Aperitive.
bai = go
balai= straw basket to tenti
bandôba = intestines
basofu = elegant
batuku = trad. music/dance
bedjera = bee
bodona = excellent
buli = container to store milk
bonbu = carry on one's back
bulea = ride
butxu = calf muscle
da rinkada = begin abruptly
di renki = positioned in file
djagasida :traditional food
djôbi = look
djondju = tie together
djongu = dozing
djongotu = squat
duêdu = pity
fandata = look for
faxi = quick
fépu = all;everything
finji = pretend
frôxa = loosen
fulia = throw
funaná = traditional music
fus - fizz
fusko = drunk - blurry
gana = strong desire
guniadu = unhappy
grogu = trad. alcoholic drink made from cane
kaboku = Foundation
kanhôtu = smoking pipe
kakutu = stump
karkuti= to speak unkindly of
koladêra = traditonal music
kamoka = traditional food
kankan = snuff from tobacco
karapâti = grab tightly
karapati = Parasite of dogs.
katxupa = traditional food
kifari - let alone
koxa = hip
kokoróta = burnt food at bottom of cooking pot.
kolôlu = cross-eyed
konko = knock (@ a door
"konta parti" = tell jokes
kudi = to answer
"ku dos kantiga" - "easily"
kutxi = get corn ready for 'katxupa'
kuskus = traditional food
"kuza sai kolôlu"= things did not turn out as expected
lanbu= lap
laraxadu = rebel
laskadu = gullible
li sin = right here
loka = hiding space
"manbá" = 'might you be thinking of'
manduku = wooden club
manekon = wine from Fogu
manenti = meanwhile
masa = to step on someone's toes
mémbra = girlfriend
mesti = need
mofinu = coward
monhongu = crumble (clothing)
moku = drunk; everything
morna = traditional music
môrna = to warm up food
muringi = small clay receptacle to store water.
"na gata' = drunk
nxágua = rinse
nguniadu = upset;cross
nhêmi = chew
ndjarga = Flank
nsodadu = unexpectedly
nsuli = swallow
nun priti = completely naked
pedi = fart
pentêdju = pubic hair
pilon = wooden vessel to 'kutxi'
pintxa = push
piska odju = wink
pontxi = drink of grogu+honey
póti = large clay receptacle to store/cool drinking water
prênha = pregnant
puluta = catch something thrown in the air
pupa = scream
rabidanti = retailer
ranha = scatch. scold
ranhu = Nasal discharge
ratorku = handsome, well dressed.
rofodja = defy
rafuga = reheat on a skillet
raganhadu = wide open.
ramanga = gesture
rapika = state firmly
ratxa = tear (torn)
rolon = traditional food
rukutidu = bitten off
rumunha = pile up
runhu = mean
sampadjudu = person from Fogu
sakedu = standing up
sanha = yell
santxu = monkey
sedja = half of a barrel
seka = wish; obsession
sêta = believe
sobaku = armpit
sobra = remaining
solopadu = saturated with liquid
stangu = stomach
tadja = keep away
teral = at sunrise
txabésku = drunk
txêu = many; a lot
txintxiroti = small bird
txumba = fail a grade in school
timodi = in any case
trumunuza = get drowsy
txuputi = pinch
"tra di kaza" = elope with a woman
tufudja = embroil
tutanu = marrow
unbês = all, everything; 'once upon atime'
unhi = To moon somebody
xema = Syn. Grogu
xikra = teacup, cup.
xerên = trad. food
xatia = bother
xobra = shovel