Useful phrases in Cape Verdean Creole

A collection of useful phrases in Cape Verdean Creole, a Portuguese-based creole spoken mainly in Cape Verde.

See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.

Phrase	Kriolu (Cape Verdean Creole)
Welcome
Hello (General greeting)	Olá Oi
Hello (on phone)
How are you?	Modi bu sta?
Reply to 'How are you?'	Muitu ben
Long time no see
What's your name?	Moki bu tchoma?
My name is ...	Nha nomi e ...
Where are you from?
I'm from ...	Mi é di ...
Pleased to meet you
Good morning (Morning greeting)	Bon dia
Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting)	Boa tardi
Good evening (Evening greeting)	Bo noiti
Good night	Bo noiti
Goodbye (Parting phrases)	Te logu Ti prosima vez Ti proxima Ti manham (see you tomorrow)
Good luck!	Boa sorti
Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking)
Have a nice day
Bon appetit / Have a nice meal
Bon voyage / Have a good journey	Boa viaji
I understand
I don't understand	N ka ta konprende
Yes	Sin
No	Nau
Maybe	Talves Manba Mast
I don't know
Please speak more slowly	Pur favor, papia digabar
Please say that again	Torna fla, pur favor
Please write it down	Skrebe-l, pur favor
Do you speak English?	Bu ta papia Inglez?
Do you speak Cape Verdean Creole?	Bu ta papia Kriolu?
Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?')	Sin, un poku
Speak to me in Cape Verdean Creole
How do you say ... in Cape Verdean Creole?	Kumó ki bu ta fla ... na kriolu?
Excuse me	Da-n lisensa
How much is this?	È kantu? Kanté?
Sorry
Please	Pur favor
Thank you	Obrigadu
Reply to thank you	Di nada Es é ka nada
Where's the toilet / bathroom?
This gentleman will pay for everything
This lady will pay for everything
Would you like to dance with me?	Bu cre dança ku mi?
I miss you	Im teni sodade bo
I love you	Nta amabo Nta adorabu
Get well soon
Go away!	Dixâ-m' em pás! D'xá-m' s'segód'! D'xé-m' s'segód'!
Leave me alone!	Dixâ-m' em pás! D'xá-m' s'segód'! D'xé-m' s'segód'!
Help!
Fire!
Stop!
Call the police!
Christmas greetings	Boas Festas
New Year greetings	Bon ano nobo
Easter greetings
Birthday greetings
One language is never enough
My hovercraft is full of eels

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Information about Cape Verdean Creole | Phrases | Numbers

Links

Other collections of Cape Verdean Creole phrases
http://kriolu.org/creole
http://www.ikuska.com/Africa/Lenguas/kriolu/LengKriolu3.htm
http://www.boavistaofficial.com/EN/phrases-useful-traduction-kriol-capeverdian.php

Phrases in Creoles

Bislama, Cape Verdean Creole, Chabacano de Zamboanga, Chabacano de Cavite, Haitian Creole, Jamaican, Mauritian Creole, Norfuk, Papiamento, Réunion Creole, Sango, Sierra Leone Creole, Tok Pisin

[top]

Conversations - learn languages through stories

You can support this site by Buying Me A Coffee, via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways.

If you find all the adverts annoying, there is now an Ad-free version of Omniglot which you can access for a small monthly or annual donation.

Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.

[top]

If you find all the adverts annoying, there is now an Ad-free version of Omniglot which you can access for a small monthly or annual donation.