Laundry

1. Unda tin un wasserette na serka?

   Un-da tin un was-se-ret-te na ser-ka

   Is there a laundromat nearby?

   Usage

   Looking for a laundromat while traveling

   Grammar Note

   "wasserette" is borrowed from Dutch; "serka" from Spanish "cerca" (nearby)

2. E hotel tin servishi di lavanderia?

   E ho-tel tin ser-vi-shi di la-van-de-ri-a

   Does the hotel have laundry service?

   Usage

   Inquiring about hotel laundry service at the front desk

   Grammar Note

   "lavanderia" from Spanish "lavandería" (laundry/dry cleaner)

3. Mi ropanan mester wòrdu lavá

   Mi ro-pa-nan mes-ter wòr-du la-vá

   My clothes need to be washed

   Usage

   Stating that your clothes need washing

   Grammar Note

   "ropa" is identical to Spanish (clothing); "wòrdu lavá" forms the passive voice "to be washed"

4. Kuántu kosta pa laba un karga di ropa?

   Kuán-tu kos-ta pa la-ba un kar-ga di ro-pa

   How much does it cost to wash one load of laundry?

   Usage

   Asking about the cost of one laundry cycle

   Grammar Note

   "karga" from Spanish "carga" (load/charge), used here for "one load of laundry"

5. E ropa ta seku kaba?

   E ro-pa ta se-ku ka-ba

   Are the clothes already dry?

   Usage

   Checking whether the laundry has dried

   Grammar Note

   "seku" from Spanish "seco" (dry); "kaba" is a Papiamentu aspect marker meaning "already/done"

6. Por fabor no drai e ropa den dryer

   Por fa-bor no drai e ro-pa den dry-er

   Please do not put the clothes in the dryer

   Usage

   Requesting that delicate clothes not be put in the dryer

   Grammar Note

   "dryer" is borrowed from English; "no" precedes the verb to form negation

7. E mashin di laba ta kibra

   E ma-shin di la-ba ta ki-bra

   The washing machine is broken

   Usage

   Reporting that the washing machine is out of order

   Grammar Note

   "mashin" from Dutch "machine"; the verb "to wash" is "laba" ("lavá" is its passive/participial form); "kibra" from Spanish "quebrar" (to break)

8. Kuántu tempu ta tarda pa laba e ropa?

   Kuán-tu tem-pu ta tar-da pa la-ba e ro-pa

   How long does it take to wash the clothes?

   Usage

   Asking how long the laundry cycle takes

   Grammar Note

   "tarda" is identical to Spanish "tardar" (to take time/delay)

9. Mi tin ropanan delika ku mester laba na man

   Mi tin ro-pa-nan de-li-ka ku mes-ter la-ba na man

   I have delicate clothes that need to be hand-washed

   Usage

   Explaining that certain clothes require gentle hand washing

   Grammar Note

   "delika" from Spanish "delicada" (delicate); "na man" means "by hand" (hand-wash)

10. Ki ora mi por busca mi ropanan?

    Ki o-ra mi por bus-ca mi ro-pa-nan

    What time can I pick up my clothes?

    Usage

    Asking when to pick up clothes from the laundry service

    Grammar Note

    "busca" from Spanish "buscar" (to look for/pick up); used here to mean "pick up"

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