Languages of Aruba
Encyclopedia
On the Caribbean
island
of Aruba
, there are many languages spoken. The official language is Dutch
, and schools require students to learn both English
and Spanish
. French
and, to a lesser extent, Portuguese
are also present on the island. However, Arubans also speak a local creole language
known as Papiamento
, according to the Government of Aruba an Afro-Portuguese Creole
.
Dutch has been the official language of the island for years as the island is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
, but Aruba has recognized English as an international language, and has required that children learn English as early as the 4th grade. Aruba's location off the coast of South America
has also made Spanish extremely important. Students begin learning this as early as 5th grade.
Papiamento is a creole language
with roots mainly from Portuguese, and to a lesser extent, from Dutch and English, and originated in the 16th century as a means of communication among slaves and slave drivers.
This native language was not considered important on Aruba until 1995 and was officially included in school curriculum in 1998 and 1999. Since, the island has embraced Papiamento, a Papiamento dictionary and fairy tales written in Papiamento are now available on the island.
Selected Aruban Papiamento
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
, there are many languages spoken. The official language is Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, and schools require students to learn both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and, to a lesser extent, Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
are also present on the island. However, Arubans also speak a local creole language
Creole language
A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable natural language developed from the mixing of parent languages; creoles differ from pidgins in that they have been nativized by children as their primary language, making them have features of natural languages that are normally missing from...
known as Papiamento
Papiamento
Papiamento is the most widely spoken language on the Caribbean ABC islands, having the official status on the islands of Aruba and Curaçao. The language is also recognized on Bonaire by the Dutch government....
, according to the Government of Aruba an Afro-Portuguese Creole
Portuguese Creole
Portuguese creoles are creole languages which have been significantly influenced by Portuguese.- Origins :Portuguese overseas exploration in the 15th and 16th century's led to the establishment of a Portuguese Empire with trading posts, forts and colonies in the Americas, Asia and Africa...
.
Dutch has been the official language of the island for years as the island is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...
, but Aruba has recognized English as an international language, and has required that children learn English as early as the 4th grade. Aruba's location off the coast of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
has also made Spanish extremely important. Students begin learning this as early as 5th grade.
Papiamento is a creole language
Creole language
A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable natural language developed from the mixing of parent languages; creoles differ from pidgins in that they have been nativized by children as their primary language, making them have features of natural languages that are normally missing from...
with roots mainly from Portuguese, and to a lesser extent, from Dutch and English, and originated in the 16th century as a means of communication among slaves and slave drivers.
This native language was not considered important on Aruba until 1995 and was officially included in school curriculum in 1998 and 1999. Since, the island has embraced Papiamento, a Papiamento dictionary and fairy tales written in Papiamento are now available on the island.
Selected Aruban PapiamentoPapiamentoPapiamento is the most widely spoken language on the Caribbean ABC islands, having the official status on the islands of Aruba and Curaçao. The language is also recognized on Bonaire by the Dutch government....
Phrases
| Papiamento | Spanish | Portuguese | Dutch | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bon dia | Buenos días | Bom dia | Goedemorgen | Good morning |
| Bon tardi | Buenas tardes | Boa tarde | Goedemiddag | Good afternoon |
| Bon nochi | Buenas noches | Boa noite | Goedenacht | Good night |
| Bon bini | Bienvenido | Bem vindo | Welkom | Welcome |
| Danki | Gracias | Obrigado | Dank u/Dank je | Thank you |
| Ayo | Adiós | Adeus | Tot ziens | Good-bye |
| Pasa un bon dia | Que tenga un buen día | Passa/Tenha um bom dia | Fijne dag | Have a good day |
| Con ta bay? | ¿Cómo estás?/¿Cómo te va? | Como está/vai? | Hoe gaat het? | How are you? |
| Mi ta bon | (Yo) Estoy bien | (Eu) Estou bem | Met mij gaat het goed | I am fine |
| Cuant'or tin? Cuanto ora tin? | ¿Qué hora es?/¿Qué horas son? | Que hora tem?/Que horas são? | Hoe laat is het? | What time is it? |
| Mi por papia Papiamento | (Yo) Puedo hablar papiamento | (Eu) Posso falar papiamento | Ik spreek Papiaments | I can speak Papiamento |
| Si | Sí | Sim | Ja | Yes |
| No | No | Não | Nee | No |
| Aruba ta bunita | Aruba es bonita | Aruba é bonita | Aruba is mooi | Aruba is beautiful |