English→Papiamento (Curaçao)

Translate English to Papiamento (Curaçao) like a local.

Curaçao Papiamentu sounds like itself through its k/w spelling, quick ta-marked clauses, and familiar words such as dushi.

474 local dialects

What locals actually say

Sweetheart, are you home yet?

Dushi, bo ta na kas kaba?

Dushi is the everyday Curaçao term of affection, while kaba placed at the end means “already” or “yet.”

I’m coming now—wait for me.

Mi ta bini aworaki—warda mi.

Aworaki adds the Curaçao-style emphasis “right now,” and warda is the ordinary local verb for “wait.”

See you tomorrow.

Ayo, nos ta wak otro mañan.

Ayo is a familiar Curaçao farewell, and nos ta wak otro literally means “we’ll see each other,” the usual warm send-off among family and friends.

Do you have change for one hundred guilders?

Bo tin cambio pa un shen florin?

Florin names Curaçao’s local currency and signals a specifically Curaçao setting.

How do I get to Punda?

Kon mi por yega na Punda?

Punda is Curaçao’s historic downtown district, while na marks the destination.

Give me a cheese pastechi, please.

Dunami un pastechi di keshi, por fabor.

Pastechi is a beloved Curaçao stuffed pastry, and dunami is the familiar duna mi construction meaning give me.

My sister is picking up the kids after school.

Mi ruman muhe ta bai buska e muchanan despues di skol.

Ruman muhe means sister, and the plural suffix nan in muchanan is a characteristic Papiamentu construction.

I have to submit the report before noon.

Mi tin ku entrega e rapòrt promé ku mèrdia.

Tin ku expresses obligation in everyday Papiamentu, meaning have to or must.

Notes like these come with every AIRTranslate translation, so you learn why locals phrase it that way as you go.

Curaçao Papiamentu (phonemic spelling: Papiamentu).

Every one of 474 dialects, with voice, camera, a keyboard for any app, and offline packs.