Is it really necessary to learn Papiamento if you are going to live in Cura\u00e7ao? Part of the beauty of Cura\u00e7ao culture is that it is a mix of all kinds of cultures. Those cultures plus the economic need for contacts with other countries mean that many people on Cura\u00e7ao speak multiple languages. In addition to Papiamentu, very many of Cura\u00e7ao’s 150,000 residents also speak at least one of the foreign languages English or Spanish. And Dutch is still an official language in Cura\u00e7ao. In many cases, people even speak two of these foreign languages, and you also come across plenty of people who speak all three. So purely for informal communication, learning Papiamentu will not be necessary. But ….<\/p>\n\n
… If you are going to work in Cura\u00e7ao, learning Papiamentu is actually a must. In business dealings with another company, that one phrase of Papiamentu can really mean the difference between closing a deal or going home without a result. And of course, your Papiamentu will also come in handy if you have a position where you have a lot of contact with locals. Examples include healthcare, teaching or if you will be working in a store. Since 2007, Papiamentu has been an official language in Cura\u00e7ao. However, there are some minor differences between Papiamentu on Cura\u00e7ao or Papiamentu on Aruba. Hence, in Cura\u00e7ao Papiamentu<\/em><\/strong> and on Aruba the Papiament is Papiamento<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n The people of Cura\u00e7ao are proud of their island, and rightfully so! After all, it is only a relatively small island, but has developed well (especially compared to many other Caribbean countries). The people like to get appreciation for that from foreigners. And one way to show that appreciation is to speak Papiamentu with them. And that in turn pays for itself because the locals will help you just that little bit better or are more likely to accept you into the community. And no, you really don’t have to be able to speak Papiamentu at a high level from your first day on Cura\u00e7ao. But you’ll see that it will really help you if you can speak just a little more Papiamentu than “bon dia” and “masha danki. If you don’t speak a word of Papiamentu, you are more likely to be seen as that “Makamba” (Cura\u00e7ao swear word for the foreigners who don’t want to adapt). In short, learning Papiamentu is not an absolute must for daily life on Cura\u00e7ao, but it can certainly make life on Cura\u00e7ao a lot easier in your contact with the locals.<\/p>\n\n For your very first words or if you want to quickly learn some Papiamentu for your vacation to Cura\u00e7ao, you can also join the Facebook group “Papiamentu for Dummies.”<\/a> Here you will find helpful overviews of words and phrases in a common situation and you can also ask questions of the other group members about a particular translation. Useful, but certainly not sufficient if you are going to Cura\u00e7ao for an extended period of time.<\/p>\n\n If you want to learn Papiamentu, you have a choice of (online) home study or taking physical lessons. However, the latter is difficult for many. Classes are offered mainly in the Randstad area (in\/around The Hague) and to take classes every week at a fixed time can be difficult. Especially when you are shortly before your emigration and you “suddenly” have to start arranging all kinds of things and farewell parties. With a home study, you can then decide a little more when and where you want to take classes. We can recommend two home studies: an abbreviated basic course or a full course:<\/p>\n\n A very fun and accessible starter course in Papiamentu<\/strong> is the E-course set up by Hellen Noort. You take this online basic Papiamentu course<\/a> at your own pace. Through 11 videos, the basic rules of Papiamentu are covered and through pdf files you are provided with the glossary. By the end of the 11 modules, you will be able to hold a simple conversation in Papiamentu. If you master these basics, you can also take a follow-up course, through Hellen or otherwise, to become truly fluent in Papiamentu.Papiamentu or Papiamento?<\/h2>\n\n
Cura\u00e7ao pride<\/h3>\n\n
Learning Papiamentu through Facebook<\/h4>\n\n
Papiamentu course – at home or in the classroom?<\/h2>\n\n
Quick & easy to learn the basics<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n