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Guinea-Bissau Creole phrasebook Voyage Tips and guide

You can check the original Wikivoyage article Here

    For other Creole languages, see Creole.

    The Creole of Guinea-Bissau (kriol, kiriol, kriolu and Portuguis varying with dialects) is the main language of Guinea-Bissau. It is based on Portuguese and local African languages. The grammar is very simple, but the lack of an official orthography makes written Creole complicated, as it is spelled differently in every text.

    Pronouns

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    Personal pronouns when subject of a verb

    I
    N' / ngh
    You (sing)
    Bu
    He, she, it
    I
    We
    You (pl)
    They
    É

    Personal pronouns used for emphasis.

    I
    Ami
    You (sing.)
    Abô
    He, she, it
    El
    We
    Anós
    You (pl.)
    Abós
    They
    Elis

    Pronunciation guide

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    Vowels

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    Consonants

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    Common diphthongs

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    Phrase list

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    Basics

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    Hello.
    Bon' dia, bo tarde, bo noite. ( )
    Hello. (informal)
    Kuma? ( )
    How are you?
    Kuma k bu sta? ( ?)
    How are you?
    I kuma? ( ?)
    Fine, thank you.
    N'sta bom, obrigado. ( )
    What is your name?
    Kuma ki bu nome? ( ?)
    My name is ______ .
    Nha nome i ______ . ( _____ .)
    Nice to meet you.
    nkontenti nkunsiu
    Please.
    . tem pacença
    Thank you.
    Obrigado. ( )
    You're welcome.
    De nada. ( )
    Yes.
    Sim. ( )
    No.
    Não. ( )
    Excuse me. (getting attention)
    . Colisença
    Excuse me. (begging pardon)
    Diskulpa / purdan' ( )
    I'm sorry.
    Diskulpa / purdan' ( )
    Goodbye
    Tchau. ( )
    Goodbye (informal)
    N'na bai. ( )
    I can't speak creole [well].
    N'ka obi kriol [dritu]. ( [ ])
    Do you speak English?
    Bu ta papia inglis? ( ?)
    Is there someone here who speaks English?
    ké i tem kin' k ta papia inglis li? ( ?)
    Help!
    Djudan'! ( !)
    Look out!
    kuidadu! ( !)
    Good morning.
    Bon' dia. ( )
    How have you slept?
    Kuma k bu mansi?
    I slept well, thank you.
    N'mansi dritu / bem, obrigado.
    Good afternoon.
    Bo tarde. ( )
    Good night.
    Bo noite. ( )
    Good night (to sleep)
    Bo noite/Bon' sonu. ( )
    I don't understand.
    N'ka ntindi. ( )
    Where is the toilet?
    Nunde ki kasa de banho? ( ?)

    Problems

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    Numbers

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    un' - 1

    dus - 2

    tris - 3

    kuatru- 4

    cinku - 5

    seis - 6

    seti - 7

    oitu - 8

    novi - 9

    des - 10

    Time

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    Clock time

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    Duration

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    Days

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    today
    aós
    yesterday
    aonti
    tomorrow
    amanha
    this week
    es semana
    last week
    semana passada
    next week
    próssima semana
    Sunday
    dumingu
    Monday
    segunda-fera
    Tuesday
    terça-fera
    Wednesday
    kuarta-fera
    Thursday
    kinta-fera
    Friday
    sesta-fera
    Saturday
    sabadu

    Months

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    janeiru fevreiru marsu abril maio junhu julhu agustu sitembru otubru novembru dizembru

    january february march april may june july august september october november december

    Writing time and date

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    Colors

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    Burmedju - red

    Azul - blue

    Pretu - black

    Branku - white

    Amarelu - yellow

    Cor di cinza - gray

    cor di rosa - pink

    Verdi - green

    Transportation

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    Bus and train

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    Directions

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    Nunde ku bu na bai? - Where are you going?

    N na bai... - I'm going to...

    Dianti - in front/ straight

    Skerda - left

    Dreita - right

    Tras - back

    La - there

    Li - here

    Taxi

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    Lodging

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    Money

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    Dinheru - Money

    Ami n'ka tene dineru. - I don't have any money

    Cen' fran" - 100 CFA

    Duzentus - 200 CFA

    Trizentus - 300 CFA

    Kuatrusentus - 400 CFA

    Kinhentus - 500 CFA

    Seisentus - 600 CFA

    Setecentus - 700 CFA

    Oitucentus - 800 CFA

    Novcentus - 900 CFA

    Mil fran' - 1000 CFA

    Dus mil - 2000 CFA

    Pagan' - Pay me.

    Patin' dinheru - Give me money.

    N'misti troku - I want change.

    Eating

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    Sabi - delicious

    Matabitchu - Breakfast

    Djanta - Lunch

    Sia - Supper

    Bin' nó kume. - Come eat with us.

    Pon' - Bread

    Arus - Rice

    Bianda - Meal with rice

    Frutas - Fruit

    Verduras/Legumes - Vegetables

    Kadju - Cashew

    Batata - Potato

    Mankara - Peanut

    Adju - Garlic

    Sabola - Onion

    Senora - Carrot

    Pis - Fish

    Galinia - Chicken

    Bu na kussinha - You are cooking.

    Bars

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    Shopping

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    Where is the market? Nunde ki fera?

    How much does it cost? I kantu?

    Do you have ( )? Bu tene ( )?

    I want two kilos. N'misti dus kilus.

    I only have 500 CFA. N'tene son Kinhentus fran'/ son kinhentus fran' k n'tene.

    I want to go to the store. N misti bai taberna.

    How much does it cost to go to ( )? I kantu k i kusta pa bai ( )?

    Driving

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    Authority

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    Learning more

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